Recalling the Albion girls sectional championship cross-country season

Contributed Photo – The starting lineup for Albion’s 2001 Section VI champion girls cross-country team included Heather Snyder, Devin Wilcox, Shauna Kirby, Trisha Sliker, Lindon Wilcox, Michaeli Moffett and Lynn Metcalf.

Just 20 years ago the Albion High girls cross-country team made school history by capturing the Section VI Class B cross-country championship.

Keeping the momentum from earning a one-third share of their first Niagara-Orleans League title, Coach Dave Carson’s Purple Eagles captured the 2001 Class B crown at Elma Meadows by garnering 61 points to claim a 23 point victory over runner-up N-O rival Starpoint which had 84.

Lindon Wilcox led the way for Albion with a second place finish as Lynn Metcalf placed 7th, Trisha Sliker 8th, Devin Wilcox 23rd, Michaeli Moffett 25th, Heather Snyder 38th and Shauna Kirby 51st.

Lindon Wilcox was edged out for top individual honors by four time N-O champion Angela Kudla who finished in a time of 19:19.3. Wilcox was close behind at 19:19.7.

Albion had finished in a three-way tie with Starpoint and Newfane at 12-2 for the N-O championshp.

Interestingly,  Wilcox and Kudla would also both enjoy big days again at Elma Meadows the following week at the state championship meet. Wilcox finished third and Kudla fifth in the state Class B race. Wilcox went on to place 12th at the state Federation meet and earned All-State honors.

The milestone season ignited a big N-O title run for Albion which went on to claim at least a share of the league title four more times over the next five years.

The Purple Eagles won the N-O title outright in 2003 and 2005 and also shared it with Newfane in 2004 and with Akron in 2006.