By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp

36th Annual Wilton Invitational

RESULTS

Established 36 years ago by Coach Jeff Gee, what began as an invitation to a few teams to race on the fields and trails at Allen’s Meadows has since blossomed into one of the largest early-season meets in the Northeast.

Varsity Boys

This year’s individual race quickly became a four person battle with a pair of Brunswick runners, Nathan Lee and Teddy Hojlo right in the front pack with Oxford’s Joseph DeLuise the early leader and Amity’s Luke Cushing just a little behind. Right around the two mile mark, it became a three man race which wasn’t decided until the final 200m stretch. Lee, 32nd at last year’s FootLocker National Cross Country Championships used his experience to come out on top, winning in 15:35.32, only nine seconds behind Soheib Dissa’s course record from last year. His younger teammate Hojlo took 2nd in 15:37.68 and Cushing, last year’s State Open runner-up, was 3rd in 15:39.89. Deluise fell to 6th place.

“Our game plan was to keep a relatively honest pace the first two miles and then go at it the last mile, but it ended up changing during the race because Joseph (Deluise) took the pace for the first mile and a half to two miles,” recalled Lee. The quartet went through the mile in the low 4:50s over the flat, but winding 5000m course. 

Despite missing two of their top five due to SATs, Greenwich came away with the win in the boys overall race, scoring 101 points to Glastonbury's 126. Amity held off New Canaan by virtue of a 6th man tie breaker to take third with both teams scoring 143 points. 

According to Greenwich coach Sean Astle, there were no surprises in Saturday’s race. “They are a great group and we have seen what they can do in practice. It was great to see them have fun racing.”

Senior Ryan Newcomb was known as a steady performer last year taking 62nd at the State Open. He developed during track in the shorter events, eventually getting down to 1:54 in the 800m to finish 8th at New Englands. He has used that speed and led the Cardinals with his 8th place finish in 16:20.70. Only two places behind him was his classmate Michael Yardis who ran 16:32.68. Quentin Koch was the 2nd best freshman at the State Open last year and he finished 18th in 16:52.77. Greenwich’s next two finishers who should normally be their 6th and 7th were sophomore James Hayes in 31st at a time of 17:10.10 and senior Lucas Grandjacques in 34th in 17:12.30. 

The Wilton Invitational allows teams to put 10 individuals in the varsity race and even with their 8th, 9th and 10th runners racing varsity, the Cardinals put on an awesome display of depth by claiming the JV title over Southington by a score of 38-42. With their obvious talent and depth, Greenwich should move up from their 4th ranked position in the previous Marathon Sports CT HS Coaches 2025 XC Preseason Poll.

Varsity Girls

As expected, Chase Gilbert of Lyme Old Lyme went right to the front with only one girl sticking with her for about a quarter mile. Once in the lead, last year’s New England runner-up and Footlocker qualifier kept the pedal to the metal and went through the mile in about 5:14. The only thing in front of her was the ghost of her former rival, Brooke Strauss’ course record of 13:45.71 for 4000m that she set last year. Gilbert came up a few seconds short, running 13:53.38 for her season opener. 

Not within striking range, but also not too far off was Glastonbury sophomore Lauren Parrett who ran 14:09.19. She pulled away from a pair of Greenwich Academy harriers, Lux Burgin (14:17.44) and Lily Lyons (14:25.01). Lyons, a Footlocker National qualifier two years ago, held off Greenwich’s Sophie Passalacqua who was All New England last year as a freshman. 

Greenwich and Glastonbury went back and forth last year with the Cardinals taking the Wilton Invitational and Class LL titles, but the Guardians claiming the Open crown and finishing ahead in New Englands. The pair of CT XC superpowers battled it out again with Glastonbury taking the win this time, scoring 57 points with Greenwich scoring 84. Defending Class L champion New Canaan was 3rd with 109 points and Pomperaug held off Cheshire by a score of 200 - 204. 

Glastonbury, the top ranked team in the Marathon Sports CT High School Coach's XC Preseason Poll proved they belong at top. In addition to Parrett’s runner up finish, fellow sophomore Carolyn Kamp took 10th in 15:35.23 over the 4000m course and seniors Olivia McKay and Abigail Horesco were 13th and 15th. Claire Parkin was 23rd to round out the scoring. 

According to Glastonbury coach Brian Collins, Abby Mathew, their number two runner last year was taking SATs and Horesco was under the weather all week and was questionable until the morning of the race. Depth was also on display as the Guardian also won the JV race by a score of 29-87 over New Canaan. Despite losing the graduated New Balance National Indoor champion Brooke Strauss to graduation and not having all their top athletes present, Glastonbury still managed to run 2:03 faster than their combined Wilton Invite time last year. 

13th Connecticut River Valley Invitational

RESULTS

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The lightning fast and fan-friendly 5k course at Cromwell HS led to a historic finish in the Boys Varsity race on Saturday morning as the large crowd of spectators witnessed the top 3 finishers all under the 16-minute mark led by winner Tycen LaBelle of Griswold. His time of 15:39.1, the fastest of the previous four sub-16 times recorded since 2016, led runner-up Benjamin Schildgen who crossed in 15:50.1 while Portland’s Breckin Burke sped to a 15;55.5 effort. The Wolverine’s LaBelle, who is the 2nd fastest returner from the State Open last year, certainly made a statement effort as he gapped Schildgen and Burke over the second half of the 2 loop course.

The Xavier boys made another statement in the team competition winning by a wide margin of 80 to 120 over runner-up Thomaston as they withheld a few top runners. The 3-pack of Jackson Gould, Jame Perrault and Xavier Laudati finished together in 8-9-10 within a 2 seconds of each other with Gould at 16:40.1.

With her second consecutive invitational victory, Wethersfield’s Alexa Nunez is making a name for herself as she handled the large lead pack at the midway point to win by 4-seconds over runner-up Ellie Ballard of RHAM in 18:55.2. Bronze medalist Madeline Garguilo of Nonnewaug out paced 4th place finisher Sara Evans of Hale Ray by a 19:10.8 to 19:17.9 margin.

Home team Cromwell scored the girls’ team title by a 77 to 96 point margin over runner-up Wethersfield with RHAM finishing 3rd with 100 points.

42nd Haddad Windham XC Invitational

RESULTS

After a 5 year hiatus due to Covid and construction,the 42nd Haddad Windham Cross Country Invitational took place on Saturday over the 5000m course that covers the roads and fields around Windham High School’s campus. 

Woodstock Academy barely held off Windsor by a score of 34 to 37 with four teams scoring in the girls Varsity race. Windsor’s Maya Donzella, a sub five minute 1600m runner in track, easily won in a time of 20:06.4. She defeated freshman Emelia Langevin of Woodstock Academy who ran 20:27.5.

The boys had a slightly larger seven team field that was led by Ledyard who won with 41 points, with Woodstock Academy five points behind. Lucas Hecker, a sophomore from Woodstock was All State in the steeplechase last spring and qualified for USATF Junior Olympic National in the event, won his first cross country race in a time of 17:11.9. Windsor’s Jason Rycerz was 2nd in the race with a time of 17:26.0.

36th Neubauer XC Invitational

RESULTS

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An odd weekday invitational was held on Thursday at Sheehan High’s hilly 5000m course. After two top three finishes, Eleanor Chamberlain finally claimed the win on her home course in a time of 20:55.4. “I pushed up the hill and ran fast down them and I felt really good the whole race,” she said after the race.