Farmer, Borton Take Home Individual Honors

Posted on Sep 17 2016 - 8:21pm by Perry L Novak
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Washington Mills – Clinton sophomore Eva Borton and New Hartford sophomore Josh Farmer stole the show at New Hartford’s annual cross country invitational on Saturday. They won their respective races in nearly perfect conditions and set personal records in the process.

 

“I just wanted to break 19 (minutes),” Borton said after she edged teammate Emma Novak by 4.2 seconds to win the overall title for the girls. “This is a pretty fast course.”

 

Eva Borton (left) and Emma Novak (right) both of Clinton, were first and second in the girls varsity race. (Photo by- Jeff Pexton - Perfect Game Imaging).

Emma Novak (left) and Eva Borton (right) both of Clinton, were first and second in the girls varsity race. (Photo by- Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging).

 

Indeed. Borton and Novak were very fast on a warm, sunny day that featured a slight breeze. They were the only girls to break 19 minutes. They staged a great duel throughout the race for overall honors. For the 5k course they were always together, with New Hartford’s Brianna Wilbur about 25 seconds behind once they all passed the one-mile mark.

 

“I had a really hard summer of training,” Novak said about the key to her personal best time. “I did a lot of hill training.”

 

The junior’s effort helped give Clinton a chance at the small school title. However, Beaver River took fourth, fifth and seventh through ninth to win 33-35 against Clinton. Led by sophomore Maggie Keady-Doole’s sixth, the improving Utica Notre Dame girls took third.

 

Brianna Wilbur finished third overall for New Hartford with a 19:16 and wound up first overall in the large schools battle. NH took the team title as well with places 1-5-6-7-8. Vernon-Verona-Sherrill was second with 46 points and Cicero-North Syracuse was third with 69.

 

Josh Farmer finishes the varsity boy's race in strong fashion. (Photo By - Jeff Pexton - Perfect Game Imaging).

Josh Farmer finishes the varsity boy’s race in strong fashion. (Photo By – Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging).

 

Farmer’s race was close at the start but he began to pull away near the midpoint and finished first with room to spare. He clocked a 16:01 to beat his personal best time by 25 seconds. “Yeah, baby! Let’s go!” Farmer said excitedly as he crossed the finish line, pumping his first.

 

He had reason to be excited as he broke away from two runners to win easily and swiftly. “I had a game plan to let them set the pace for about a mile then to kick it,” Farmer said. “I thought it was going to be a 16:30.”

 

The Spartans standout probably would have been around that pace had he not dedicated himself to some extra workouts the past few months. “I did weight training in the summer,” he said. “I wasn’t very strong in the upper body last year. It helped. I was third last year.”

 

Farmer’s effort led NH to the large school title. Garrett Jones was next best for the hosts with a 17:16, good for fourth in the large school race. NH had 31 points with V-V-S (50) and C-NS (51) well behind in the battle for first.

 

In the boys small schools race, Beaver River edged Clinton 41-44 despite Clinton’s C.J. Militello winning with a 16:22.7. Militello and V-V-S’ Owen Walker were even with Farmer for the first mile or so in the battle for the overall crown.

 

New Hartford's Josh Farmer (center) Clinton's C.J. Militello and Owen Walker of VVS started strong and finished 1,2,3 in the varsity boy's race. (Photo By - Jeff Pexton - Perfect Game Imaging).

New Hartford’s Josh Farmer (center) Clinton’s C.J. Militello and Owen Walker of VVS started strong and finished 1,2,3 in the varsity boy’s race. (Photo By – Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging).

 

“The first two miles it was pretty easy,” Walker said of his efforts to stay close to Farmer. “But after that…he’s a kicker.”

 

Adirondack’s Stone Lutz was second in the small schools race with a 17:00.2.

 

New Hartford boy's and girl's varsity teams come together in a show of ethnic diversity before the boy's race. (Photo By - Jeff Pexton - Perfect Game Imaging).

New Hartford boy’s and girl’s varsity teams come together in a show of ethnic diversity before the boy’s race. (Photo By – Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging).