With superior depth and surprising improvements, Valley Stream North boys’ cross country secured a resounding victory in the Nassau County Class III Championship last Saturday at Long Island University.
In a field of 100 runners, all 10 Spartans finished in the top 30, with eight finishing in the top 16.
“I've been coaching cross country at Valley Stream North for a long time, 25 years I think,” coach Tim Boyens said. “This group that I have this year is the best I've ever had. It's not because of their talent. It's because of their work ethic. They show up every day. They do everything I ask them to do. They trust me and they trust each other.”
The championship event, a 5K race, was determined by each team’s top five finishers, who were assigned lower scores for better finishes.
In the championship last year, Wantagh scored 52 to defeat Valley Stream North by a single point, but the Spartans exacted revenge on their arch-rivals this time, scoring 27 points in a practically unbeatable performance. Wantagh finished second with 77 points, 10 ahead of North Shore in third.
Several runners had the chance to lead the way for Valley Stream North at the end of a resurgent campaign, but freshmen Gavin Trustey and Kyle Farina surprised many to finish fifth and sixth overall, respectively.
When the two boys were starting out, Boyens said that it was difficult to convince them to establish themselves over older teammates. With times of 17:15.7 and 17:27, they were the only freshmen in the race to finish in the top 30.
“I think they can run faster, Farina and Trustey,” Boyens said. “They finish races and they're excited, but they're all smiles. I'm like, ‘You guys don't even look tired. Come on, you got more.’”
Junior Evan Truong finished in 17:28.7, just behind Farina in seventh. Considered by Boyens to be the Spartans’ best natural athlete, Truong could prove to be an even more potent contender as a senior.
Senior Thierry Bennett, a former soccer player who threw himself into cross country over the summer, improved to finish ninth in 17:44.8, leading a second flight of Spartans that also included senior Matthew Gangi and junior Chamar Borden.
Mateusz Grabowski, North’s unofficial captain, brought up the rear for the Spartans in 30th, still outpacing most of the field. Boyens said the senior has served as a model for younger runners who will shape the program for years to come.
After the event, Wantagh’s Ian Frazer, the son of Valley Stream North track and field coach Mike Frazer, congratulated the Spartans. The talented senior, one of many Wantagh runners to have friendly competitive ties to Valley Stream, finished first overall with a sharp time of 15:52.1.
