SYRACUSE - With their recent strong showings at the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association cross country championships at Long Point State Park, the area is inching closer to having not one, not two, but three squads sitting atop the state rankings for their classes in the New York State Sportswriters Association poll.
While it's no surprise that the Maple Grove girls team (26-0), which has been No. 1 in Class D since Sept. 24, maintained it's hold on the top ranking - especially following Hope Pietrocarlo's course-record run to capture the individual win at the county meet - the Fredonia girls and Maple Grove boys also made solid moves up the lists this week.
The Red Dragons, led by Corey Wefing's individual victory on Friday, improved to 26-0 this season when they captured the boys title and rose four places in the Class D rankings, up from No. 8 to No. 4.
The Lady Hillbillies, meanwhile, which saw their top runner, Lauren Reyda, take second in the 3.1-mile race at Long Point, were the runnersup at the county championships, helping them rise within one place of No. 1 in Class C.
Sherman also made the rankings in girls cross country, coming in at No. 8.
In girls soccer, undefeated Maple Grove (17-0), which will square off against Allegany-Limestone in the Class C semifinals today at 7 p.m. at Dunkirk, has risen four places in the last two weeks, all the way to its current position at No. 5.
The Lady Gators (13-2-1), the top seed in the sectional playoffs, are No. 9 and Holland, which is set to play Frewsburg in the other semifinal game - this one at 5 p.m. at Dunkirk - is No. 10.
Ellicottville (14-2-1) remained No. 3 in Class D.
Finally, in boys soccer, Randolph (16-1) and Maple Grove (15-1-1), both set to play at Pioneer on Thursday in the sectional semifinals - Maple Grove at 5 p.m. against Holland and Randolph at 7:30 p.m. against I-Prep - held steady at Nos. 11 and 12.