Garden City freshman Charles White and JFK Bellmore junior Maegan Krifchin won at Bethpage in an 18 mph wind, and Syosset placed its runners near the front for 26 points.
BETHPAGE, N.Y. — Garden City freshman Charles White won the boys 5K at the Section VIII cross country State Qualifier at Bethpage in 16:18.7, a personal best, and JFK Bellmore junior Maegan Krifchin won the girls race in 18:56.7. Syosset won the boys team title with 26 points, and the meet was run in an 18 mph wind.
White won by 13.4 seconds over Syosset senior Sean Tully, who ran a personal best of 16:32.1. Lynbrook senior Jonathan Truitt was third in 16:44.8, also a personal best; Truitt had finished fourth at the meet in 2002. White's time was the fastest of the season on the course and the third-fastest on record there. The best time at the meet remains the 15:40.1 that Syosset's Mark Alizzi ran in 2002.
Krifchin won by 18.6 seconds over North Shore seventh-grader Brianna Welch, who ran 19:15.3. Valley Stream North junior Theresa Rush was third in 19:22.6, a personal best, after finishing third at the meet in 2002 as well. Krifchin's time was a personal best and the fastest of the season on the course. East Meadow's Brittney Criscuolo ran the best girls time on record at the meet, 18:28.7, in 2002.
Syosset's 26 points left runner-up Lynbrook, with 113, far behind. Calhoun was third with 180. Mepham won a close girls team race with 107 points, ahead of East Meadow with 121 and Massapequa with 124.
There were 167 finishers in the boys race and 156 in the girls race.