Somethings in life you have to labor over. Somethings in life come easy. Choosing which programs were going to sit atop of the boys and girls top high school programs countdown was an easy decision.

1. Fayetteville-Manlius Girls Cross Country

When it comes to winning championships F-M Cross Country is the best… period. And I’m not just talking about sectional, regional or state crowns – national championships are where it’s at for the Hornets.

Under Bill Aris F-M has captured 11 Nike Cross National titles. From 2006 to 2017 the Hornets stood atop the podium 11-of-12 times.

You might ask yourself… how does a Syracuse-suburb school become a national power at running? Well, the answer is easy. Great coaching get the best out of his talented runners.

Aris took over the boys and girls programs in 2004. That’s when he adapted a rigorous training program after reading some of Percy Cerutty’s books. He first used his new style to train the boys, and then in 2006 on the girls.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

History that has been recorded in the book Amazing Racers. Marc Bloom followed the program during their historic run and penned the 332 page book.

Aris has landed plenty of athletes at top colleges across the country. These achievements also landed Aris in the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall-of-Fame.

Which makes it easy to see why this program is at the very top of our podium for the best high school program during the Spectrum News era.

F-M’s Resume

  • 11 National Championships
  • Those 11 national titles came in a 12-year span from 2006-2017
  • Both the Girls and Boys F-M XC Teams Won the National Title in 2014
  • Aris’ Program was the Subject of Marc Bloom’s Book Amazing Racers

1. West Genesee Boys Lacrosse

When it comes to lacrosse in Central New York the West Genesee Wildcats are its posterchild and trend setter.

Under legendary head coach Mike Messere, West Genny not only took over Section three but the rest of the lacrosse-world. In his 43 years, Messere led the ‘Cats to the number one ranking in the country eight times, won 15 total state championships and helped 60 of his players earn all-American status.

Perhaps his most impressive dent left on the game of the lacrosse is his influence. It ranges both big and small. If you wore your socks high playing lacrosse as a kid there’s more than a solid chance it’s because of Messere’s group. There’s also a good chance your favorite player was coached by Messere in high school. His coaching tree is legendary in the college game. John Desko of Syracuse and Jeff Tamroni of Penn State lead two of the best programs in the country. Meanwhile, in division two, Dan Sheehan is at the helm of Le Moyne.

But coaches can’t build successful programs without great players. Messere had a slew of talent and he knew what to do with it in his four decades. Add number one on the Spectrum News Top HS Programs countdown to list of accomplishments for the Wildcats.

West Genny’s Resume

  • 15 State Championships (Four in the Spectrum News Era)
  • 13 Section Three Titles in the Spectrum News Era
  • Mike Messere (U.S. Lacrosse, High School and Greater Syracuse HOF’er)
  • Ranked Number One in the Country Eight Times
  • 14 All-American in the SN Era (60 Overall)