HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW / M. Country Ahead of Pack:

By Joe Krupinski. STAFF WRITER; Nick Lanteri contributed to this story. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 13 Sep 1996

Middle Country’s boys team has become a dynasty by winning the Suffolk Class A cross country championship three of the last four years and capturing the state Federation title last fall.

The Cougars’ success story appears destined to continue, even though county runner-up Mark Granshaw (Penn) and Adam Muhleman (Wake Forest) have graduated. Leading the returnees are seniors Jason Soricelli, who placed third in the state public school meet last year, and Kyle Kurtz, who finished sixth. Coach Harry Schneider expects veterans Michael Thompson and Ryan McNaughton to be among the top five scorers. Junior Michael Dunn and sophomores Jason Delgado and Dan Muhleman, from last year’s talented freshman team, also will be in scoring positions.

Sachem, which broke up Middle Country’s title streak in 1993, will be a potential spoiler again behind seniors Brian Trentkowski and Andrew Phillips and junior Pat Gildea. “We have a nucleus, but Middle Country has more depth,” coach Kurt Pasler said. Floyd and Bellport also figure in the mix.

In Class B, Mt. Sinai is looking for a three-peat behind junior Jeff Vaglia and senior Mike Falco. But Bayport-Blue Point, last year’s Class C winner, is back in Class B to challenge the Mustangs with Eric Carlsson, John Cinelli, Tim Perry and Matt Dunseith, who formed the 3,200-meter relay that finished second in the state in outdoor track last spring. The Class C title is up for grabs among Mercy, Babylon, Port Jefferson, Stony Brook and Mattituck.

While Soricelli is the individual heir-apparent in the Class A race, two other Jasons – Prieto of Longwood and Borbet of Smithtown – will give him a run. Chris Miltenberg of Glenn is the defending champion in Class B. Pat Maddock of Hampton Bays and Brad Curtin of Babylon are the favorites in Class C.

SUFFOLK COACHES CROSS COUNTRY MEET at Sunken Meadow State Park (3.1-mile course) BOYS

Varsity A – 1. Brian McKnight (Monroe-Woodbury) 16:42.1. 2. Jason Prieto (Longwood) 16:55. 3. Chris D’Angelo (Farmingdale) 17:15. Varsity B – 1. Matt Reda (Arlington) 17:09.2. 2. Geoff Van Fleet (Arlington) 17:11. 3. Dejan Popovic (Mepham) 17:14. Varsity C – 1. Andrew Rodney (Ridgewood, N.J.) 17:09.2. 2. Brian Trentowski (Sachem) 17:14. 3. Neil Burt (Ridgewood) 17:14. Varsity D – 1. Jason Soricelli (Middle Country) 16:44.7. 2. Chris Miltenberg (Glenn) 17:15. 3. Paul Werner (Middle Country) 17:22. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 29 Sep 1996:

Boys Cross Country

Rich Velazquez and Dan Jennings tied for first in 16:47 over the 3-mile course at Sunken Meadow State Park to lead Bellport to a win over Half Hollow Hills East . . . Pete Meinel had a winning time of 17:01 at Sunken Meadow’s 3-mile course to lead Huntington past Riverhead . . . Andy Janosick and Jay Vorbet of Smithtown both crossed the finish line together in 16:49 at Sunken Meadow’s 3-mile course to lead the Bulls past Ward Melville.

Babylon 28 Stony Brook 29 Bayport-Blue Point 20 Glenn 43 Bay Shore 15 Whitman 49 Bellport 17 H.H. Hills East 46 Copiague 27 West Islip 28 Deer Park 27 Half Hollow Hills West 28 East Hampton/B-hampton 20 S-hold/G-port/S. Island 43 East Hampton/B-hampton 50 Southampton 15 Floyd 19 Brentwood 40 Harborfields 20 Amityville 47 Hauppauge 19 West Babylon 42 Huntington 15 Riverhead 45 Mercy 24 Mattituck 31 Middle Country 22 Sachem 36 Miller Place 24 Westhampton 32 North Babylon 16 East Islip 47 Northport 22 Commack 34 Patchogue-Medford 24 Longwood 31 Pierson 20 Hampton Bays 50 Port Jeff 15 LaSalle 41 Sayville 17 Kings Park 46 Shoreham-Wading River 15 Islip 51 Smithtown 19 Ward Melville 41. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 25 Sep 1996:

MANHATTAN COLLEGE INVITATIONAL At Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx – 2.5-mile course BOYS

Varsity A: 1. Joseph LeTourneau (Londonderry, N.H.), 12:57.5. Team Scoring: Shenendehowa 55, Londonderry 56, Liverpool 145, St. Joe’s 150, John Jay 170. Varsity B: 1. Steve Slattery (Mount Olive), 12::58.1. 5. Carlsson (Bayport), 13:17. 10. Black (Bayport), 13:32. Borbet (Smithtown), 13:36. Team Scoring: Nevada Union 57, LaSalle Collegiate 146, Pope John 157, Washingtonville 163, Jeffersonville-Youngsville 174. Varsity C: 1. Al Daniels (Seton Hall), 12:48. 18. Miltenberg (John Glenn), 13:37. Team Scoring: Fayetteville-Manlius 76, El Toro (Calif.), 115, North Rockland 127, Goshen Central 130, Harristown 171. Varsity D: 1. Jeff Gaubrapp (Baldwinsville), 12:57.2. Team Scoring: Cicero North 55, Clarkstown North 95, Essex Junction 126, Niskayuna 215, Don Bosco 223. Varsity E: 1. Jonathon Riley (Brookline, Mass.), 12:24.4. 9. Jenning (Bellport), 13:34. 12. Brian Wrinkle (Patchogue-Medford), 13:38. 18. Bill Wrinkle (P-M). Team Scoring: Christian Brothers Academy 39, South Side 169, Archbishop Wood 176, Laguna Hills (Calif.), 188, Brookline (Mass.), 192. Varsity F: 1. Ed Carmack (Warwick), 12:37.2. 3. McKeever (Chaminade), 13:16. 12. Ellwood (Chaminade), 13:41. 13. Rubert (Chaminade), 13:42. 14. Esposito (Chaminade), 13:43. Team Scoring: Chaminade 80, Warwick Valley 93, Ridgewood (N.J.), 111, Randolph 152, St. John’s Prep 184. Varsity G: 1. Josh Horton (Marshall), 13:02. 5. Prieto (Longwood), 13:16. 11. Gildea (Sachem), 13:26. 16. Phillips (Sachem), 13:31. Team Scoring: Arlington 106, Sachem 117, George C. Marshall 122, Mepham 178, Father Judge 230. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 13 Oct 1996:

Soricelli Is the Fastest Jason:

By Joe Krupinski. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 02 Nov 1996

Three guys named Jason finished 1-2-3 in the Class A race of the Suffolk cross-country championships at Sunken Meadow State Park yesterday.

“Pretty weird, huh?” said Middle Country senior Jason Soricelli, who won the 3.1-mile race in 16:27.6, the best time of the day.

Although the 5-8, 130-pound Soricelli led from start to finish, he never really did shake either Longwood junior Jason Prieto, who finished second in 16:38, or Smithtown junior Jason Borbet, who placed third in 16:44.8.

“It was a tougher race than I thought it would be,” said Soricelli, who was third here a year ago. “I was running fast, I took off up Cardiac Hill, and still I felt there was someone right behind me. {Prieto} showed a lot of guts hanging on with me.”