SECTION 4 CROSS COUNTRY: CORNING BOYS HAVE 4 OF TOP SIX AS THEY WIN SECTIONALS (20 PHOTOS) (2025-11-07)
BY BRIAN FEESSouthern Tier Sports ReportCHENANGO VALLEY — The Corning Hawks used their patented pack mentality to help them win the Section IV, Class A Championship on Thursday.
The Hawks won the title with a team score of 31, with Ithaca winning at 46.
“Each season you start out you are trying to be STAC champions and we were able to accomplish that and you come here and it’s a qualifier meet and it’s really about bringing it on this day and moving on,” Corning coach Ray Lawson said. “So it’s always nerve wracking because at the mile it was a nice mix of Ithaca and corning battle, but the second mile I could see our pack of four was working well together. We have a little bit, I’m sure everyone does, we have a little bit of sickness going through the team so they ran well in spite of that so that was good. A very solid effort. Hopefully we keep training well and go into the state meet with some confidence I hope.
“A freshman guy on that team making states, two freshmen girls making states. Really I think just two of these guys have made the state meet before. Nick and Sebastian have made states, we have five guys going to their first state meet.”
When they were younger the Hawks watched the team win sectionals and now these runners are champions themselves.
“It feels great,” senior Ferratella said. “We got to see as freshmen our team win so it was special to come out here and win the sectional championship after the big STAC win.”
Corning had four of the top six finishers in the race.
Nicholas Ferratella was second in 16:35 with Bryce Hammond fourth in 16:56 followed by teammates Sebastian Boutwell (16:58) and Christopher Lawson (17:05).
Ashtyn Stark was 14th in 17:38. Graham Wightman was 16th in 17:45 and Elijah Sonner was 19th in 18:13.
Andrew Miller was 22nd in 18:31 followed by Connor Harrington in 18:35. Ryan Madden was 33rd in 19:51.
While Ferratella and Boutwell have made states before, this was a first for the rest of the top seven.
“For me this is my first time qualifying for states, so it’s very special to do that with my team,” Hammond said. “Plenty of runners had a big race today.”
The top four Hawks ran together early, before Ferratella started to pull away toward the front of the race.
“My group, there was three Corning guys that stuck together through the entire race,” Hammond said. “We knew we had to work hard and finish together so we could maintain this and win the meet.
“I think it’s good to have people you know there, competing with you so they can push you harder.”
Nicholas Kowal of Horseheads pulled away to win the race, and Ferratella stuck with his race to help his team win the title.
“When Kowal was running away there wasn’t much chance of me to be the sectional champion, but I still had to race for my team and stop any of the Ithaca guys from passing me and pick up those points.”
The Hawks hope the pack mentality leads to being things at states.
“It just makes you feel strong, feel confident,” Ferratella said. “I hope that’s what we can do at these championship meets, regionals, states, just pack up well.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES
PHOTO GALLERY FROM SECTIONALS:
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