When the dust had settled, Saratoga managed to get its first five runners in the top 10 to defeat Shen 27-31.
Keelin Hollowood won the individual title with a time of 17:13.12, more than 12 seconds ahead of runner-up Lizzie Predmore of Shen. Nicole Irving finished third for the Plainsmen with a time of 17:31.98, while Saratoga's Amanda Borroughs placed fourth with a time of 17:34.81.
Cassandra Goutos (sixth place, 17:37.10), Sydney King (seventh, 17:48.13) and Madison Carr (ninth, 17:58.40) rounded out Saratoga's top five.
Predmore and Irving qualified as individuals for next weekend's state meet in Plattsburgh, along with Shen's Cara Janeczko (eighth, 17:54.97) and Alex Burtnick (13th, 18:22.58), as well as Columbia's Kaylee Scott (10th, 18:12.28).
It was also a close battle on the boys' side, as Shen edged Shaker 59-63 for the Class AA team title.
Shen's Dan Harris led the pack by winning the individual title in a time of 15:16.68. Ian Dorset (ninth, 15:43.48) was next for the Plainsmen, followed by Mitch Todorov (12th, 15:55.00), Sam Kimmey (15th, 15:58.59) and Mark Unter (22nd, 16:16.88).
Shaker's top five runners were more closely packed than Shen's top five runners, but the Blue Bison were shuffled between eighth and 18th place by a group of talented runners from Colonie, Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa and LaSalle. Mike Libruk (eighth, 15:39.97) led Shaker.
The five individual qualifiers for Sectionals are Saratoga's Sam Place (second, 15:22.76) and Kyle Wegner (fourth, 15:26.54); Colonie's Erich Voelker (third, 15:25.87); Ballston Spa's Max Groves (fifth, 15:30.02); and LaSalle's Denis Hurley (sixth, 15:33.41), a Delmar resident.
For more results, see next week's edition of Spotlight Newspapers.
