NXN Champions Break Seal On F-M's Hall Of Fame

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Four years ago, Fayetteville-Manlius High in upstate New York began a process to recognize some of its athletics heritage by starting a Hall of Fame. 

At the first ceremony, in 2016, a basketball team from the 1950s, a longtime football coach, a couple of lacrosse and football standouts, and Kathy Parker (Mills) made the inaugual class. Kathy Mills, the wife of Nike CEO Mark Parker, was F-M's first great female distance runner. 

The 2017 class brought the 2004 boys cross country team that finished second at the inaugural Nike Team Nationals, the "Original Stotans," into the fold.

Earlier this month, the 2009 and 2010 girls teams, including a handful of runners who overlapped two of the greatest teams in the NXN era, were commemorated. 

The 2009 F-M girls scored 74 points at the national championship meet. The next year, they scored a record low 27. Christie Rutledge, Katie Sischo and Jillian Fanning all finished in the top six. 

Heather Martin, Courtney Chapman, Katie Brislin, Emily McGurrin, Molly Malone, Hannah Luber and McKenzie Carter were also inducted as members of those two teams. 

At a school where the distance running achievements under coach Bill Aris outweigh nearly everything else, putting athletes in one at a time might create a backlog. 

"Every great runner we've had has wanted to be inducted with their team," Aris said. 

Tommy Gruenewald, for instance, was enshrined with the 2004 team. 

His older brother, J.D. Gruenewald, was inducted this month on the merits of his soccer achievements. 

"J.D. was the greatest soccer player in school history, and the best runner to come along that I never had come out for cross country," Aris said. "He was phenomenal."

With 11 national championships for the girls and one for the boys, all will eventually get in. But in order to balance them out with athletes from other sports, it may take a while. 

BOOK REVIEW - Amazing Racers by Marc Bloom