SECTION 4 CROSS COUNTRY: KOWAL BECOMES FIRST HORSEHEADS BOYS' SECTIONAL CHAMPION IN 14 YEARS (15 PHOTOS) (2025-11-06)
BY BRIAN FEESSouthern Tier Sports ReportCHENANGO VALLEY — As Nicholas Kowal raced toward the finish line he glanced back to see where the other runners were.
A few steps later Kowal looked back another time, realizing that there was no one right behind him the Horseheads senior started to realize he was about to become a sectional champion.
Kowal won the first sectional title by a Horseheads boy since Brian Crimmons in 2011.
I was pretty shocked (that no one was right behind him),” Kowal said. “I could hear them cheering for people behind me and I had no idea how close they were so I assumed they were pretty close and I was dying. I felt pretty good. Definitely hurt.”
Going out, the goal for Kowal was just to get to states. He wasn’t planning to try and lead the whole race, but that’s exactly what he did.
“I was trying to stick with the Corning kids,” Kowal said. “Last year I went 17:15 here and went out at the same pace, so I wasn’t really expecting that. I just made a move at the top of the hill at 1.5 miles and that’s when I pulled away.”
This year Kowal ran a 16:30 to win the title.
“It’s very exciting,I was 10th last year and first this year, so it’s exciting,” Kowal said.
For Kowal there was an idea in his mind that he was capable of winning sectionals, but it wasn’t really his goal.
“Not really (did he think of winning sectionals),” Kowal said. “I thought I could do it, but my main goal was the podium.”
It was with 1.5 miles left that Kowal started to think winning was possible.
“Once I realized no one really went with me when I made the move I thought I can hold it,” Kowal said.
Corning coach Ray Lawson was impressed with how well Kowal ran once he made that move to pull away from the field.
“Happy for Nick,” Lawson said. “He has struggled this season a little bit after he came out really well the first races. To see him come here, and he’s a talented runner, and it’s good for him to go after it today. I think our guys let him go a little bit and he finished it out very strong. Kudos to him, that’s not an easy way to race to lead from the gun and he did it. So, very happy for him.”
The course was muddy in spots, but being out in front helped Kowal.
“It was really muddy, I was trying to stay on the most solid parts of the course,” Kowal said. “It was hard at times. At the start there were a lot of people, so you couldn’t really see where the mud was so that was slippery.
“It is easier to see the ground and see where it’s muddy (when you are in front of the pack).
Max Williams missed states by one spot, taking 10th in 17:19.
Allen Wetmore ran a 17:36 to take 12th, followed by Gavin Hornsby in 17:36. Dominick Marino was 26th in 19:03 followed by Joseph Juan in 19:19 and Luke Dordoni (19:30).
Abdiel Basabakwinshi was 31st in 19:35 followed by Joshua Knapp (19:51). Finn Van Buskirk was 34th in 19:54.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES
PHOTO GALLERY FROM SECTIONALS:
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