NORTHPORT — As Alex Leuchanka sprinted toward the finish line step for step with challenger Alex Hatz at the New York State Cross Country Championship Saturday afternoon, the Shenendehowa senior lost feeling in his legs.

"We were battling so hard," Leuchanka said. "With 10 meters left my legs just gave out."

Without any energy left, Leuchanka finished two-tenths of a second behind the Fayetteville-Manlius (Section III Syracuse area) runner in 15 minutes, 59.47 seconds for the individual state title at Sunken Meadow State Park. As a team, though, the Plainsmen earned their share of plaudits by defeating the Hornets by 17 points for the Class AA title.

In all, four teams from Section II captured titles at the hilly, challenging 3.1-mile course along the Long Island Sound. Besides Shenendehowa, Burnt Hills captured crowns in both the boys' and girls' Class A races and Greenwich finished first in the girls' Class D championship.

Individually, while no runner came home with a title, several runners finished second. In addition to Leuchanka, Roxanne Henningson of Greenwich and Otis Ubriaco of Burnt Hills captured seconds in their races.

At last week's Section II state qualifier at Saratoga State Park, runners confronted..... READ MORE