PLATTSBURGH – The Saranac Lake boys cross country team rose to the top of the state for the second year in a row Saturday, running away with the NYSPHSAA Class C championship crown.

The Red Storm placed three runners in the top 10, supported by strong showings by the rest of the group, to collect a team score of 28. CBA-Syracuse, of Section III, was second with 89 points.

Peter Fogarty led the way for Saranac Lake with his third-place finish in 14 minutes, 50.7 seconds over the 3-mile course on the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh. His time was 9.1 seconds behind the winner of the race, Caleb Bender, of Skaneateles, who came in at 14:41.6. Gitch Hayes, of LaSalle Institute, was second in 14:46.2.

James Catania was the next Saranac Laker across the line, with his fifth-place finish in 14:59. Teammate Andrew Fogarty placed eighth in 15:18.2 and Micah McCulley took 16th in 15:27.3.

Saranac Lake’s fifth runner was Tucker Jakobe, who finished 31st in 15:51.8, Sam Ash took 51st in 16:20.6 and Justin Duprey was 72nd in 16:40.1.

All the Saranac Lake runners are juniors in high school, except for Ash who is a freshman.

The boys Class C race had 132 total finishers, and 11 schools qualified complete teams to contend for the state team championship.