By Samantha Ferisin
The Irvington boys cross country team finished an impressive third place at the Class C State Championship on Saturday, Nov. 10 at Sunken Meadow State Park in Long Island, just edging out teams from Port Jefferson and Newfane by a single point.
Ryan Flanagan and Alex Bjorgvinsson led the squad with 26th- and 27th-place finishes in a field that included 131 runners from 11 different teams.
“Our boys team depth was a strength all season long,” said Coach Barry, “and it came down to number 6 man Henry Demarest beating Port Jeff and Newfane’s #5 man in the last 200 meters to nab the 3rd place finish by one point.”
Coach Barry and Coach Deryl Thornton were pleased with how far the team has come this season.
“Our boys really came on at the end of the season to win the Section and run so well at States. Coach Thornton and I are very proud of this group!”
It was the team’s highest finish at the State meet since 2008, when Julian Saliani and Ian Mathews led the Bulldogs to a third place finish. The boys finished second to Port Jefferson in 1974, still the best finish in school history.
