Senior Duo Setting the Pace for Irvington Track Team

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Liam Lyons will be running off to Holy Cross i the fall. (Photo by Davin Milun)

April 27, 2022

By Tom Pedulla—

When Lucas Turano completed his interview, he took off on the run. When Liam Lyons was done, he did the same.

These are two seniors in a hurry to achieve success, which explains why they played lead roles in leaving an indelible mark at Irvington.

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Turano and Lyons ran one-two when the Bulldogs earned their first state championship in the 65-year history of the cross-country program. Now, they are key figures on the school’s highly regarded outdoor track team.

“They push each other. They work together. They respect each other,” said Chris Barry, who coaches both teams. “That kind of sets the tone for everybody on the team. Everybody else sees ‘It’s okay to push each other. It’s okay to try to beat each other. But, ultimately, it’s for the benefit of the team.’ It’s to get better, get all of us better, and not for personal accolades.”

Personal accolades have come through their selflessness. Turano and Lyons were honored as All-State performers in cross country after clocking 17:14 and 17:34, respectively, for the muddy 3.l-mile course at Chenango Valley State Park when the Class C state title was decided.

Barry was quick to note, “Our depth is what made us a state champion. The two leaders were fantastic, don’t get me wrong. What made the team so special was there was only a 42-second gap from our first guy, Lucas, to our fifth guy.”

The top two were followed by Brice Pierce (l7:52), Indy Minkoff (17:55) and Ryan Carron (17:56). Taoig Cypher (18:28), a promising sophomore as is Minkoff, and Mitchell Milun (18:40) completed the first seven for the Bulldogs.

Turano and Lyons sounded very much the same as they discussed, in separate interviews, what drives them.

The 6-1, 150-pound Turano said of running distances, “It’s definitely interesting to find my limit. It’s also part of why I love racing. That last mile, it’s exciting to figure out what’s left in the tank and how far I can push it.”

He is passionate about conditioning, so much so that he bikes to school. “His fitness level is just extraordinary,” Barry said. Turano initially used cross country in the seventh grade to prepare him for the rigors of lacrosse. It was not long before his priorities changed.

“As soon as I started cross country,” he said, “I fell in love with the sport.”

Lyons, like Turano, relishes opportunities to push himself. To dig down deep.

“I love challenging myself, especially with the training,” he said. “The training is tough, especially mentally. It’s tough physically, too. But it’s a fun challenge and it’s good to see it pay off in races.”

Lucas Turano

The race that determined the state championship tested them in different ways. With Lyons battling a severe head cold, it was time for Turano to step up as never before.

“Liam had been our number one guy. Lucas was getting closer and closer to him,” Barry said. “In the end, with Liam sick, he just kind of took charge, which was big.”

Lyons displayed his fortitude by competing as well as he did despite congestion that affected his breathing. “If you don’t breathe well, that means you don’t get the oxygen you need for your energy, so that wears you down,” Barry said. “But he’s a tough kid.”

Turano is a young man of many interests. He will play the role of Patchy the Pirate when SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical takes the stage in May. “It’s branching out. It’s a little out of my comfort zone,” he said. “It’s something different, something fun.”

His love of surfing and his desire to major in computer engineering are among the reasons he is West Coast-bound for college as he decides between the University of California at Santa Cruz and Chapman University in Orange, Calif. Although his major is undecided, Lyons looks forward to attending Holy Cross.

Both intend to continue running and are eager to close their scholastic careers with an exclamation point. They are focused on finding every way imaginable to reduce their mile times while also locking in on larger team goals.

Whatever happens, Turano and Lyons and all of the members of the cross-country team will forever be remembered for bringing that long-awaited state championship home to Irvington.

“It was probably the best feeling I ever felt,” Lyons said.

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