Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017: Tuohy, Fayetteville-Manlius girls win at NXN

   Leading off today: North Rockland sophomore Katelyn Tuohy and the Fayetteville-Manlius girls team completed perfect seasons Saturday with victories at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore.

   Tuohy set yet another course record by covering five kilometers at Glendoveer Golf Course in 16:44.7, which was 11 seconds better than the 2015 mark of Katie Rainsberger, now a sophomore star at Oregon.

   "I kind of feel like I'm dreaming a little. It's kind of hard to embrace all at once," Tuohy said.

   Tuohy demoralized the field with an opening 5:06 mile -- "I kind of let the competition know this was my race," she said -- and won comfortably over Saratoga sophomore Kelsey Chmiel (17:25.0) as New York nailed down four of the top six places in the race. Claire Walters of F-M was fifth in 17:55.0 and Brooke Rauber of Tully was sixth in 17:56.7.

   Fayetteville-Manlius had to work hard for its 11th team championship in 12 years, posting 89 points to edge Naperville, Ill., North (94). The Hornets' Phoebe White was fifth in the team scoring and 15th overall in 18:05.5.

   Liverpool's girls placed 13th at 385, one spot ahead of Saratoga with its 310 points.

   Purcellville (Va.) Loudoun Valley took boys team honors over Fayetteville-Manlius by an 89-159 margin and with the help of a former New York rising star. Sam Affolder, who ran for Carthage as a freshman in 2015, placed sixth in the team scoring and 23rd overall. Affolder ran for Carlisle (Pa.) a year ago but transferred again this summer in a job-related family move.

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   Corning took 12th in the 22-team field with 306 points.

   In a very competitive race for individual honors, Aidan Troutner of Provo (Utah) Timpview hit the tape in 15:03.9 to edge Brentwood (Tenn.) star Brodey Hasty (15:05.9). Silas Defel of Ithaca finished 19th to lead the New York contingent.

   Taking a different path: Section 5 girls pole vault record-holder Erica Ellis will not compete during indoors during her junior season, her father told the Democrat and Chronicle.

   Ellis is the two-time defending state indoor champion.

   Rickey Ellis said he and his wife Barbara have unsuccessfully sought approval for an arrangement where their daughter could work with coaches outside the school while remaining on the team.

   Ellis has trained with 2012 Olympic and 2016 World Indoor champion Jenn Suhr and husband/coach Rick Suhr. Her PR is 13-3 in a 2017 outdoor meet.

   "At this point, our understanding is that Erica is going to focus on her outside practices and competitions," Gates Chili AD Patrick Irving said in a statement. "We wish Erica the best and look forward to her continued success."

   Gates Chili coach John Driscoll declined comment but said Ellis can rejoin the team.

    • Suffern tennis star Sydney Kaplan, 17, has been on a unique path since playing for a NYSPHSAA doubles championship as a freshman in 2014 and appearing in the singles final the following fall, and it led to her signing a letter of intent with Rutgers last month.

   The Journal News reported recently that Kaplan split time as a sophomore between attending classes at Suffern and doing the remainder of her studies online in order to squeeze in four hours of tennis practice and fitness training each day. All of her academic work as a junior and senior has been through online courses, and Kaplan will receive her high school diploma from the Dwight School.

   "I wanted to get better. It was very tough for me to do both," Kaplan said. "Being completely home-schooled, I could travel to national tournaments that go all week. To get better, you have to play in those tournaments."

   Kaplan said she has played between 20 and 30 tournaments in 2017, which have taken her to California, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

   "It's a difficult lifestyle but it's all worth it," Kaplan said.

   Football finals: Lehman earned the PSAL Bowl Conference championship Saturday with a 46-22 win over Bayside.

   Franklin K. Lane captured the PSAL Cup final with a 26-8 win over Far Rockaway.