Katelyn Tuohy cuts loose for 18-second course record at Feds

By Brian Towey for DyeStat

WAPPINGER'S FALLS, N.Y. -- This fall, North Rockland NY's Katelyn Tuohy has been smashing course records everywhere she's gone. But in truth, the sophomore had never truly cranked it up.

At the New York State Federation meet at Bowdoin Park, Tuohy had that chance Saturday. And the results were dazzling.

Tearing away from a marquee field that included Saratoga Springs junior Kelsey Chmiel, Tuohy rolled to a course-record 16 minutes, 52.4 seconds, breaking the mark she set Nov. 4 at the Section I Championships with 17:10.4.

PHOTOS by John Nepolitan - BOYS | GIRLS

Before that, the course record belonged to former Foot Locker nationals champion Aisling Cuffe, who covered the distance in 17:16.9 for Cornwall in 2010. 

"After my race at the Rockland County Championship (on Oct. 26), when I ran in the 16's at Bear Mountain, I knew that breaking 17 minutes was on my radar," Tuohy said. 

 Tuohy has largely been using races as workouts.

"Today was a race where we thought she could push herself," said North Rockland girls cross country coach Brian Diglio, whose team, including Tuohy, will run at NXR New York next Saturday.

Tuohy's win overshadowed an outstanding day for Saratoga Springs and Chmiel. Finishing second, Chmiel's second-place mark of 17:32.5 stands No. 5 on the all-time Bowdoin Park list. Chmiel paced Saratoga to the team championship with 99 points. 

"We've been getting great leadership from our younger runners," coach Linda Kranik said.  "Three of our top eight runners are seventh graders."

Shenendehowa, led by senior Hannah Reale's fourth-place overall finish (18:39.0), placed second in the team championship with 109 points. Monroe Woodbury was third with 190 points.

Suffern sophomore Mary Hennelly placed third overall in 18:36.4.

At last year's boys New York Federation Championship, St. Anthony's senior Mason Gatewood finished 106th. Capping a remarkable turnaround, Gatewood won the boys race Saturday in 15:52.4.

"For the kid to win this race, after finishing 106th last year (is amazing)," St. Anthony's coach Tim Dearie said. "It wasn't a physical barrier for him. It was a mental barrier. He just kept climbing the mountain until he thought he had a shot."

Gatewood rode though two miles with a pack of four that included Ithaca senior Silas Derfel and juniors Aidan Gilooley and Tyler Berg of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake. Derfel threw some surges at the pack as the Burnt Hills duo hung tough.

"Physically, I felt good, but mentally I couldn't quite get over the top," Derfel said.

Gatewood surged down the final straightaway for a convincing win, edging Derfel (second, 15:57.4), Gilooley (third, 15:59.1) and Berg (fouth, 15:59.1).

"You want to go into every race with confidence," Gatewood said. "But I didn't really know if I could do it until I hit the tape."

Burnt Hills, backed by Gilooley, Berg and Evan Brennan (13th overall, 16:30.7) won the team championship with 80 points. They edged out New York City's Xavier (105 points) and Fairport (134 points). It is Burnt Hills' first Federation championship.

"The thing with a meet like this is that you could have guys in 50th or 60th, and once they take those (individual) spots away, they still help you," Burnt Hills coach Chip Button said. 

Burnt Hills will take on Fayetteville-Manlius, which typically skips Feds, next week at NXR New York.

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