New York State Federation Cross Country Championships

I got a call last week from the Times Union newspaper in Albany to shoot a freelance assignment, focusing on the Section 2 competitors in the high school cross country state championships, about 45 minutes from my house. After some research into what schools make up Section 2, I discovered their runners are quite good and were expected to do well. My goals were to catch them at several points during the race, rather than just catching them crossing the finish line. Shooting running is not my specialty and doing it in the rain wasn't all that fun, but I accomplished my goals - even if it meant running half of the race myself and losing, then miraculously finding, my car keys along the way.

November 15, 2008 - Shenendehowa senior, Alex Leuchanka, finishes in first place with a time of 16:21.8 in the New York State Federation Cross Country Championships at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls. Following Leuchanka are Max Straneva, a junior from Chenango Valley, who took second with a time of 16:23.6, and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake sophomore Otis Ubriaco, who took third, with a time of 16:28.1. Saratoga senior Demetri Goutos took fourth with a time of 16:31.0.

November 15, 2008 - Queensbury sophomore Danielle Winslow finishes the New York State Federation Cross Country Championships at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls in third place with a time of 18:27.1. In foreground, Aisling Cuffe, SO, from Cornwall (left), finished in second place with a time of 18:20.5 and Emily Lipari, a junior from Roslyn (right), finished in first place with a time of 18:15.4.

November 15, 2008 - The top four finishers in the New York State Federation Cross Country Championships at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls round one of the last corners of the race. Shenendehowa senior Alex Leuchanka (left) finished in first place with a time of 16:21.8.

November 15, 2008 - Megan Conway, a Saratoga sophomore, participates in the New York State Federation Cross Country Championship race at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls. Conway finished in 49th place with a time of 20:10.1, while her team took second place overall.

November 15, 2008 - Juliann Lajoie, a Queensbury senior, competes in the New York State Federation Cross Country Championships held at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls. Queensbury took third place overall.