Naugy boys take second, Woodland sixth at NVLs

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Runners take off at the start of the NVL boys cross country championship Tuesday in Watertown. –LUKE MARSHALL

WATERTOWN — Tuesday’s Naugatuck Valley League boys cross country championship meet at Veterans Park in Watertown was dominated by the host team as the Indians won for the third straight year.

Naugatuck turned in a strong performance, finishing second, and actually held a one-point lead over Watertown after the early finishers. But the Indians held off the Greyhounds’ upset bid by taking 13th, 17th and 18th place to give Watertown five runners in the top 20.

“We were up 31-30 after four runners,” Naugatuck coach Bill Hanley said. “But it really wasn’t that close in the end. We don’t have the same kind of team we had last year but I’m very proud of our effort. Watertown is a very strong team but we went out and ran a good hard race.”

Naugatuck’s Dan Schumacher was the first Greyhound to finish at the NVL boys cross country championship Tuesday in Watertown. Schumacher finished third overall in 16:31. –LUKE MARSHALL

Watertown’s Quinton Hoey was the champion, finishing the 3.05 mile course in 15 minutes, 55 seconds.

The Indians scored 48 points with Naugatuck second (62) and Kennedy, the surprise of the meet, third (83). Woodland finished sixth, third among Brass Division teams.

Naugy finished best among Copper Division squads with a third-place finish from Dan Schumacher in 16:31. Naugatuck placed four runners in the top 10 with Mike Uva (eighth, 17:04), Colin Reilly (ninth, 17:21.23) and John Caruso (10th, 17:21.58).

The Hawks were led by Ian Chamenko, who raced to a 16th-place finish in 17:47, and was the only Woodland runner in the top 20. Kyle Beynor took 26th in 18:08 and Joe Reynolds finished 32nd in 18:27.

“This is by far the hardest-working boys team I ever had,” Woodland coach Jeff Lownds said. “Ian ran a great race and was named to the All-Brass team. We got strong performances from Beynor and Reynolds.”

The sixth-place finish was right in Lownds’ expectation range.

Woodland’s Ian Chamenko led the way for the boys cross country at the NVL championship Tuesday in Watertown. Chamenko placed 16th overall with a time of 17:47. –LUKE MARSHALL

“We had four losses during the season so this is pretty much where I thought we would place,” he said. “There are no superstars on this team but they are dedicated and focused and I’m very proud of their effort.”

Woodland finished up the race of 84 runners with Dean Conway placing 43rd in 18:52, Dave Terni 46th in 19:02 and Jeff Giusto 52nd in 19:25.

Naugy also had a strong group finish inside the top 40 with Jake Lisakolsky finishing 33rdin 18:31, Tyler Hayward 35th in 18:33 and Brody Hale 38th in 18:39.

Naugatuck and Woodland will now gear up for their state championship races Oct. 27.