The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Team showed much progress throughout the 2003 season.
The Men’s team finished 4th in the Skyline Championship at Sunken Meadow Park, led by Junior Captain Jermaine Johnson as he finished 14th. Other individual finishes in the Skyline Championship race were Freshman Paul Milazzo in 19th, Leighton Priestley 30th, Jason Hernandez 53rd and Masner Registre 66th. The Rams placed 34th in the DeSales Invitational as Jason Hernandez and Masner Registre recorded personal bests. Jermaine Johnson finished 12th overall in the Halloween Classic 8000m race. Freshman Paul Milazzo ran well at Bard College, where he placed 6th individually to lead the men to a sixth place finish.
The women’s team finished 5th in the Skyline and 4th in the WIAC Championship. Under the leadership of Senior Captain Diana Baxter, the women continued to improve each race. Baxter ended her collegiate cross-country career on November 3rd at the Halloween Classic, while setting the fastest time ever run (21:08.62) by a Farmingdale woman on the tough 5000m Van Cortlandt Park course. This was a record that had been held since 1987 at 21:09.8. This performance also moved Diana into 14th place in the Halloween Classic’s All-Time Meet Performances. She also holds two of the three fastest times for Farmingdale women on the DeSales course.
Debbie Lubawsky, Rachel Siegel, Tuyet Tran and Jennifer Alexandre improved throughout the season as they recorded personal bests in nearly every race. Freshman Indiana Ripoll had a terrific rookie season at Farmingdale, where she is now 10th in the Rams’ All-Time Van Cortlandt Park record books with a time of 24:46.30.
November 2, 2003
Baxter Sets Farmingdale All-Time Record at Van Cortlandt
Van Cortlandt Park: Bronx, NY
Diana Baxter ended her collegiate cross-country career on a high note, placing 2nd in the meet with a time of 21:08.62. This is the fastest time ever run by a Farmingdale woman on the tough Van Cortlandt Park 5000m course. The previous record time for this course was 21:09.8, set by Teri Rule in 1987. Diana also moved into 14th place in Farmingdale’s All-Time Meet Performances. Freshman Indiana Ripoll placed 24th with 24:46.30, which is now 10th in the All-Time Van Cortlandt Park record books. Rachel Siegel and Tuyet Tran both set personal bests at the race, as the women placed 7th overall.
Jermaine Johnson placed 12th in the men’s 8000m race with a time of 30:55.42.
October 26, 2003
Baxter and Johnson Lead Men & Women at Sunken Meadow
The St. Joseph’s Invitational, at Sunken Meadow State Park, was the site of the Skyline and WIAC Championships this past weekend. The teams faced muddy terrain and 60-degree weather.
Senior Diana Baxter placed 2nd individually in the 5000m with a time of 21:51.1, missing first place by 20 seconds. Baxter led the women to a 6th place finish overall in the St. Joe’s Invitational, 5th place overall in the Skyline Championship and 4th place overall in the WIAC Championship. In the individual finishes, Indiana Ripoll finished 19th, Debbie Lubawsky 34th, Rachel Siegel 35th and Tuyet Tran 36th.
Junior Jermaine Johnson came in 14th place individually and Freshman Paul Milazzo 19th to lead the men to 6th place overall in the St. Joe’s Invitational and 4th place overall in the Skyline Championship. Individually, Leighton Priestley finished 30th, Jason Hernandez 53rd and Masner Registre 66th.
October 18, 2003
Baxter Leads Women at DeSales Invitational
DeSales Invitational @ DeSales University, Allentown, PA
The women’s team placed 28th out of the 40 starting teams led by Senior Diana Baxter. Diana’s time of 21:27 was her season best for 5000m. She now has two of the three fastest times ever run by a Farmingdale woman on the DeSales course. Each of the other women, Indiana Ripoll, Rachel Siegel, Debbie Lubawsky, and Tuyet Tran also ran personal bests.
The men’s team placed 34th out of 40 teams with Jason Hernandez and Masner Registre running personal bests.
October 4, 2003
Women Run Personal Bests at Stevens Tech Invitational
Cross-country competed at Stevens Tech this weekend, with all 5 women setting personal bests. Diana Baxter finished 4th in the 6K race, beating her personal record by 35 seconds with a time of 25:29. Indiana Ripoll, Debbie Lebawsky, Tuyet Tran, and Jennifer Alexander also beat their personal times, helping the women's team finish 9th overall.
September 27, 2003
Cross Country at Bard College Invitational
Despite the rainy and muddy conditions at Liberty State Park today, Farmingdale State made it work with finishes for both the men and women. The men finished 6th of 14 teams, and the women placed 2nd and 17th.
Senior Diana Baxter (Commack H.S.) placed 2nd in the 6K Race in a time of 27:26.03, improving on last season where she placed 3rd. Freshman Indiana Ripoll (JFK Bronx H.S.) placed 17th with a time of 30:51.19.
Freshman Paul Milazzo (Connetquot H.S.) placed 6th with a time of 29:17 to lead the men’s team to a 6th place finish.