The Berlin High School boys cross country team bursts off the starting line at the 72nd annual Grout Run in Schenectady's Central Park Saturday morning. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

SCHENECTADY -- The biggest rivalry the cross country teams at Berlin High School have is with the squads that share locker rooms with them.

The Berlin boys were ranked No. 7 in the latest New York State Sportswriters Association Class D cross country poll and the girls team is a perennial Section II title contender. The girls have finished in the top three at the Section II meet each of the past six years. Five times in the past six years, the boys have accomplished the same feat.

Although the program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 15 years under head coach Richard Ingraham – he could not even field full teams when he first started – Berlin’s cross country runners still take some gruff in the hallways and the cafeteria from the members of the soccer teams.

The runners, however, are ready to defend their sport to anyone who will listen.

"It’s kind of like where you love doing it," Alex French, right, a junior captain on the boys team said at the 72nd annual Grout Run in Central Park on Saturday. "A lot of people, a lot of soccer players, put it down. But you really don’t care because you just feel you’re happy you get a high off of running and you love to win."

"I think it’s definitely much more popular now," said junior captain Kayleigh Corrado, left. "I think we have a feud with the soccer team. Me and my friend, we joined from the soccer team and we go back and forth on which one is better. I think there is more personal pride in cross country because it is a team thing, but it’s very individual and when you succeed, you know it’s because you succeeded. You weren’t helped. But when you fail…"

French finished the Division C run at the Grout Meet in 15:17.57, good for 16th place. Fellow captain Lew Palmer, right, was right behind him, running 15:18.13. The Mountaineers placed third behind Fonda-Fultonville and Schenectady Christian in team points.

For the Berlin girls, Corrado ran an 18:13.69 on the 2.75-mile course, as she placed 10th in the Division C race. Hannah French (18:15.47) finished 12th and Liz Sheehy ran a 20:19.88, which was good for 41st.

"We have a really, really good chance of winning sectionals this year and we just have to work hard," said Sheehy, below left, a junior captain who started on the team as a seventh grader.

Corrado hasn’t found being a leader on the team a naturally easy task, but she isn’t afraid to provide a bit of encouragement to her teammates when they need a push.

"You have to be willing to tell people when you think they can give more," Corrado said. "Sometimes it’s really hard and you want to just take it easy, but as a team, you have to keep working or you’re going to slip. In soccer, it’s different."

Ingraham isn’t sure just how many of his current runners will wind up on college teams in the future, but he enjoys bringing his team to the Grout Run for the scholarship opportunities it can offer.

For video highlights and runner interviews from the Grout Run, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

"I have sent dozens of kids on to run in college," Ingraham said. "That’s the thing I enjoy the most about it. Out of our little valley and our little school, literally dozens have gone on to run at school. I’ve had national junior college champions, and a national Division III champion come out of our school. We’ve sent kids all over the United State for running, but especially Cobleskill."

Corrado represented the team at the New York State meet a season ago, but this time, she wants to bring everyone else with her.

"I went to states by myself last year and it was scary," she said. "But I’m planning on the whole team going this year."

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High school football central on www.troyrecord.com

Continuing our high school basketball history series this week, Record sports editor Kevin Moran caught up with Rod Owens, who played at Berlin, Catholic Central, Davidson and Siena College.

The 6-foot-6 power forward’s highlight-reel dunk came while playing at Syracuse in Manley Field House, several years before the Carrier Dome opened. Siena, in its infant days as a Division I program, traveled west to take on a Syracuse team that featured Louis Orr, Roosevelt Bouie, Jay Cohen and Marty Head.

Late in the second half, Owens blocked a shot by Orr, who eventually became head coach at Siena. The Saints sprinted upcourt on a fast break, with Siena guard Mike Catino handling the ball.

"I though Mike was going to pull up for one of his patented 15- to 18-foot jump shots," Owens said. "I was going hard to the basket, filling one of the lanes. Mike said he saw me frothing at the mouth, so he passed me the ball."

Owens took two power steps, elevated and slammed the ball home over Bouie, Syracuse’s 6-foot-11 All-Big East center who in 1980 was a second-round selection of the Dallas Mavericks, but opted for a 13-year pro career in Italy.

"I went up hard and pushed Bouie’s arms out of the way and was able to score," Owens said. "They ref blew the whistle and called a foul on Bouie. He couldn’t believe it."

Syracuse, paced by the Louis & Bouie show, won the game, 99-64, but Siena had its moment as a fledgling Division I program.

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For the full story, check out Sunday's edition of The Record, which will also feature our All-Area baseball and softball teams, local reaction to the World Cup, coverage of the Country Club of Troy Invitational and the ValleyCats game story from Saturday night.

Here is a list of the people who will be inducted into the Capital Region Basketball Hall of Fame's second annual class.

WOMEN
Debbie Barnes...Laura Barnes
Val Higgins...Katrina Springer
Jane Meade...Mary Fuchs
Robin Reed...Maureen Holohan
Julie McBride...Tonya Hansen
Anita Kaplan...Nikki Hilton
Nancy Egerton...Cathy Rousseau
Jen Scanlon...Michelle Collins
Katelyn Dooley...Kelly Scanlon
Becky Gottstein...Jolene Johnston
Carolyn Gottstein...Stacey Hurd
Heidi Harkins...Brenna Doty
Kim Corbitt...Heather Fiore
Marcell Harrison...Tahnee Heins

MEN
Lucious Jordan...Jeff Robinson
Jason Graber...John Leonard
Freddie Daniels...Rod Owens
Fred Shear...Kasheef Hameed
Steve Dagostino...Randy Cross
Corey Osinski...Tom Backer
Billy Harrell

COACHES
Don Bassett...Ron Sontz
Walt Pryzyblo...Mike Long
Ken Strube...Richard "Doc’ Sauers

REFREES
Tom Brennan...Bill Varno
John Cahill Sr.

We plan to have coverage of Sunday's ceremonies, so look for that story in Monday's edition of The Record.

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Waterford-Halfmoon soccer players react after Zac Lennon's goal early in Saturday's Section II Class C championship victory over Berlin. The Fordians (16-2-0) won, 3-1. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).

Waterford advances to face Voorheesville (15-2-2) in the Class CC-C playoff game Monday at 5 p.m. at Colonie High School.

Berlin (12-7-0) faced Waterford three times this season, but the Mountaineers' offense was never able to click against the Fordians. Berlin scored just one goal in those three contests. This was Berlin's first sectional final appearance since 1996.

“This is pretty big. We still had four or five starters coming back, but we didn’t quite know how the junior class was going to play and it turned out really well,” Waterford coach Fred Engelmann said. “It was one of the good surprises for us that we played as well as we did.”

Waterford players celebrate after defeating Berlin in the Section II Class C final Saturday morning at Colonie High School. It was Waterford's first Section II title since 2005.

Waterford sophomore Fre Breen chases the ball with a Berlin player in full pursuit.

WATERFORD 3, BERLIN 1

Berlin (12-7-0) 0 1 - 1
Waterford (16-2-0) 2 1 - 3
Scoring: B - Drew Webster 1-0. W - Chris Hunt 1-0, Zac Lennon 1-1, Dylan Carlton 1-0, Fre Breen 0-1. Goalie saves: B - Shawn Willis 5. W - Ryan Hardy 3.

There are two more boys soccer games remaining this week.

Johnstown faces Broadalbin-Perth in the Class B final Monday at Colonie at 7 p.m.

Shen and Saratoga will play for the Class AA final Tuesday at Colonie at 5 p.m.

Click here to review all of the Section II boys soccer brackets.

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In girls soccer action, two games remain.

Class AA - Bethlehem vs. Shen, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at Stillwater High School

Class CC/C playoff - Fort Plain vs. Cambridge, Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. at Stillwater High School

Click here to see the latest Section II girls soccer brackets.

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The Section II girls volleyball tournament wraps up Wednesday with four finals to be held at Queensbury High School and one - the Class A - to be played at Lake George.

Class D - Mayfield vs. Lake George, 11 a.m.
Class C - Loudonville Christian vs. Voorheesville, 1 p.m.
Class B - Schalmont vs. Ravena, 3 p.m.
Class A - Burnt Hills vs. Queensbury (at Lake George), 5 p.m.
Class AA - Bethlehem vs. Shenendehowa, 7 p.m.

Click here to see the brackets for the volleyball tournament.
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Here are your final 2009 Section II football brackets.


I'm planning on hosting our weekly high school football chat this Thursday evening, Nov. 12 starting around 6:30 p.m.
We can discuss the upcoming matchups for Rensselaer and Hoosick Falls and also look back on the seasons of Troy High, Lansingburgh, La Salle and any other local team you'd like to discuss.