ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Oct. 1, 2022) -- For the Rocky River Boys Cross Country squad, a weekend voyage to upstate New York proved to be a remarkably successful one. Competing in the nation's largest high school-sponsored cross-country meet -- the McQuaid Invitational, Double-R athletes registered impressive runs and fine team scores in two races on Saturday. [results]

Four top-50 finishes -- in a field of 127 runners -- propelled the Pirates to a fourth-place finish in the Bob Bradley Premier race. Rocky River filed a team score of 165, finishing two slots ahead of fellow Buckeye State runners from St. Ignatius (180 points, sixth) and behind just three other teams in the 15-team stampede. Senior Majid Abuan traversed the 3-mile Genesee Valley Park course in a brisk 15 minutes-and-17.5 seconds. Abuan placed eighth to lead the Pirates.

Also scoring for River in that race were Luke Dorenkott (26th), Greg Ganor (32nd), Grant Preto (48th), and Ethan Hazra (68th).

The Double-R doubled up with its successful exploits by mustering a "varsity B" team that earned a runner-up finish in Saturday's Varsity Double-A race. The Pirates posted a score of 129 to take second in a field of 37 teams. Ben Buehrle (10th), Owen Walsh (20th), and Jackson Rood (21st) led the Maroon & White in that effort.

Saturday's meet was hosted by Rochester's McQuaid Jesuit High School. It was the 57th annual renewal of the event.

The River girls team was idle Saturday. Both Pirate squads are scheduled to compete in the Oct. 8 Milt Place Cross Country Festival in Medina, Ohio.

by Skip Snow

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