SECTION 4 CROSS COUNTRY: THREE CORNING GIRLS HEADED TO STATES, TWO FOR THE FIRST TIME (20 PHOTOS) (2025-11-07)
BY BRIAN FEESSouthern Tier Sports ReportCHENANGO VALLEY — The Corning girls had three state qualifiers on Thursday at the Section IV, Class A Championships at Chenango Valley State Park, two of them making it for the first time.
Olivia Martinec led the way for the Hawks with a runner-up finish in 19:34.50. She was nearly 14 seconds ahead of third-place in the race.
“It’s really exciting, we are all super excited,” Martinec said. “it’s their first time for high school.”
Corning coach Ray Lawson was happy with the way all three ran on the day.
When you have freshmen come out, you can see the training and the talent, but you are never sure how they will hold up the entire season and how they’ll be in championship racing so very good for Katelyn and Abby Wagner to both make it to the state meet,” Lawson said. “And Olivia ran, she’s been kind of conservative her last few races, being controlled and finishing strong and today we said go ahead and go for it and she went out hard and I think she suffered a little bit in the middle mile, but she fought back and had a great last mile, I think that was a good preperation for the state meet to get out hard and weather that.”
For Martinec it can be hard at times. Tsadia Bercuvitz of Ithaca won the race by more than a minute, and Martinec was 15 seconds ahead of third place, so she was often running by herself.
“Sometimes it’s like I don’t really know how well I’m doing until you get to the end,” Martinec said. “I was happy to be in my own race for most of the time. I had some of the Ithaca girls on me part of the time, so it was nice to have them push me at the end of the race.”
Freshmen Kateland Dininny (seventh place in 20:42) and Abigail Wagner (ninth place in 21:13.20) each earned their first trip to states.
“I feel like it was a really good chance and I”m really happy I made it to states,” Dininny said. “I never really ran a race like this, state qualifying, so it was a really different race.”
Dininny tried to keep Elmira’s Ella Devlin in sight for most of the race. Devlin finished one spot above Dininny 4.30 seconds ahead of her.
“My plan was to stay with Ella somewhat, to stay with the girls that were in front of me,” Dininny said.
There were some nerves for the freshmen, but they pushed through it.
“I was kind of scared I wouldn’t make it,” Wagner said.
But, having upperclassmen who can help them at sectionals made things better.
“I think it helps a lot,” Wagner said.
The three are excited to go to states together.
“I think it will be fun for them, hopefully it’s nice to have a small group and go by ourselves and work,” Martinec said.
Corning took second as a team at 52 points. Ithaca won at 26 points.
Kaitlyn Lee was 18th in 22:38.30 with Lillian Deuerlein 20th in 22:52.70. Uma Palma Tree Thutaram was 23rd in 23:57.70 followed by teammates Liesel Despain (24:09.60) and Emma Pfleegor (24:40.10). Macailyn York was 30th in 25:23.40 and Aubrey Miller was 38th in 28:09.10.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES
PHOTO GALLERY FROM SECTIONALS:
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