Archive: Sports

Homecoming was part of a capping of the Lansing HS spirit week that set the stage for a Sobus Field showdown on a clear night. The Oxford Blackhawks brought their 2-1 record to take on the undefeated Bobcats football team. The stands and the hillside path to the concessions were lined with spectators. Lansing youth flag and tackle football players and coaches lined the field for the varsity team entry.

Many in the crowd were curious of the of the game action and flow of this years 8-man team. That only means 8 players at one time on the field instead of the typical eleven. The overall player roster consists of 19 members. True to form of the previous couple of games the Bobcats got out to a quick start. Those at the concessions could have missed the two scores Lansing had in its first three offensive plays. Luke Winslow (10 x 204) accounted for Lansing's first four scores with runs of at least 50 yards on three of them.

The Lansing varsity cross country program hosted over 50 young runners Saturday, who were undeterred by the muddy terrain at Lansing Center Trail.

This was the second year that the high school teams have hosted their future teammates and competitors at their home course, and the Bobcats welcomed returning teams from Auburn (Pulsars) and Horseheads (SOAR) as well as many returning individual runners. In addition, the new local youth running team, the Lansing Lightning, had a strong turnout despite a busy local calendar.

In unseasonably warm temperatures and on a golf course that was softened by lots of recent rain, the Lansing Ladycats ran away with their second consecutive IAC Division II title on Tuesday, October 9. The girls team was led by Emmaline Jackson '21 and Catie Eisenhut '20. Last year, Jackson was runner-up and this year, she claimed the individual title with her teammate, Eisenhut, just 0.1 seconds behind her.

Scoring only 20 points (low score wins in cross country; 15 is a perfect score), the Lansing girls were 17 points ahead of runner-up Trumansburg. Kinsley Jacobs '23 set the modified course record last year and finished as Lansing's third runner, fourth overall. Teresa Garcia '20 and Eden Jackson '19 rounded our Lansing's scoring five with Hana Thibault '21 and Allison Keefe '19 completing their team of seven – all of whom came across the finish line before third place Moravia's second runner.

A small crowed cheered on the Lansing and Dryden boys JV soccer teams as they met in a non-conference game. The drizzle made the field quite slippery, and Lansing won 5-1.

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With this being the first year of the 8-man football schedule for Lansing, gone are most short trips to local rivals of say Groton and Dryden. A new opponent 1.5 hours east in Unadilla Valley hosted the Bobcats. One of the Lansing communities biggest fans and popular bus drivers Gary Christopher fulfilled the team travel duties for the Friday night showdown. The crisp night in the Valley found cool conditions, a low lying fog directly over the field for much of the game, and a country concession stand filled with comfort foods of ziti, mac-n-cheese, and pulled pork to name a few. A third win of the season would make it certainly 'all good in the valley'.

Lansing tailback Luke Winslow (6 x 58, 2TD) scored on a 16 yard run in the first and a successful PAT made it 7-0. Wideout Ben Vincent took a slant pass from QB Garrett Bell for a 45 yard score a couple minutes later. Bell capped the first quarter scoring with a 4 yard keeper and a 19-0 lead after one.

Girls XC Climbs State Rankings, Boys XC Continuing to Improve

It was a perfect day for cross country racing, and harriers from across the country seized on the ideal racing conditions with impressive performances resulting. Over 7000 runners would cross the finish line by days end, representing 262 teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Missouri, California – and Canada!

In the girls unseeded small school race, the Ladycats of Lansing were victorious over a field of 39 schools, taking home a coveted McQuaid plaque. Catie Eisenhut '20, in just her fifth cross country race ever, led the 365 runners in this race from the start, finishing first in an elite time of 18:18.9. Her teammate, Emmy Jackson '21, spent 2.9 miles of the 3 mile race in second place, just being outkicked in the final stretch but holding on for a third place finish overall.

Coaches always preach you gotta have a nose for the ball. You need to anticipate. Mostly it comes instinctively. Lansing middle linebacker Griffen Nelson has turned his defensive prowess into three touchdowns in the first two games. Ins the young seasons second 8-man game against the Newfield Trojans Nelson had interception returns for touchdowns of 22 and 45 yards. A nose for the ball puts you in the right place at the right time.

On a windy Friday evening Lansing had the lead 14-0 after one quarter in their second game of the season. Gabe Santiago and Nelson stopped a Newfield reverse attempt and set the tone early. Other highlights had Quarterback Garrett Bell (2TD , 5 PAT) score on a sneak play five just seconds into the second quarter. Brothers Mason and Tucker Butler provided defensive line pressure that helped keep a Trojan offense that scored 60 points the week prior in check. The 34 point second quarter for the Bobcats saw Luke Winslow return a punt for a TD only to be called back by a penalty.

Junior Catie Eisenhut made big waves on the Upstate New York Cross-Country scene this past week, finishing 2nd overall in regional race that drew more than 250 runners and then setting a new course record at Lansing's home XC meet.

On Saturday Sept. 22, Lansing XC trekked up north of Syracuse for the Baldwinsville Invitational, a mega-meet that draws the top cross-country programs and runners from throughout the region. The Lady Bobcats varsity XC team competed against 44 other schools and finished 3rd overall, led by Eisenhut's headturning 2nd place overall finish (18:20.2 on the 2.95-mile course) in the field of 263 racers. Perhaps just as impressively, Lansing eighth-grader Kinsley Jacobs finished 5th overall (19:11.1), and the other three top Lady Bobcat placed in the top third of finishers (junior Teresa Garcia 35th, Sophomore Hana Thibault 66th, Senior Allison Keefe 73rd).

The Lansing cross-country season kicked off with a bang this week, with good showings by all modified and varsity teams and a big win for the Lady Bobcats.

A week earlier, the Bobcat XCers travelled to Marathon on Tuesday Sept. 11 for a scrimmage meet that also included Moravia, Southern Cayuga, and Whitney Point. The varsity girls' team previewed their strength with an impressive showing at the scrimmage, finishing first with 17 points, thanks to a 1-2-3 finish by Catie Eisenhut, Emmy Jackson, Kinsley Jacobs. The next closest team in the lowest-score-wins competition was Moravia, with 46 points.

A new era began last Friday evening in Elmira's southside when the 8-man division football rivals suited up for a heated and humid contest. Elmira Notre Dame (END) and Lansing are no strangers to rivalries spanning the athletic spectrum including basketball and soccer. Players, coaches and fans were not so sure what to expect with three less players on each side of the ball but one thing for sure it was expected to be a close game throughout.

First play of the game and of the year had Lansing QB Garrett Bell (2-10-2, 80 yards) make a quick pass to the left flat for Brad Lehr who footed it for a net 20 yard gain. END made good on a flee flicker for a 45 yard TD and the 6-0 lead. Mason Butler recovered a fumble at the END 27 but Lansing could not make good.

Math and sports wizards out there, what is meant by this sequence of numbers: FOOTBALL: 6, 8, 9, 11?

It tallies the options for high school football teams participation. NYS apparently has options open for teams to participate in 6,8,9 or the typical 11-man football programs.  For our local football fans, there will be some new formations observed with your Lansing Bobcats 8-man football team. That's 8 players (vs. 11) on offense and defense.

The 2018 Class includes Thomas Colt a three sports star in Cross Country, In-Door Track and Baseball. Colt was a member of the 2002 Cross-Country Team that finished 3rd in NYS (all divisions, Class A, B, C and D) Colt was a career .389 hitter on the baseball team. In Indoor Track he was a three event Sectional IV Champion. He was named Section IV’s Most Outstanding Track Athlete in 2003. Colt was named the Senior Class Male Athlete of the Year in 2003. He played collegiate baseball at Oneonta State.

Shawn Costello was a five year letter winner on the golf team. During his 5 year career, he led Lansing to a dual meet record of 53-9 and the final two seasons the team was undefeated. Costello led Lansing to 3 consecutive IAC League titles and 3 consecutive Section IV titles. Costello won the New York State Public High School Championship in 2000. Because of his golf skills, he was invited to compete in several high level international golf tournaments representing the USA. He played in Mexico and Columbia, South America. Costello played collegiately at Western Carolina.