H.S. GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY / 2017 PREVIEW
ECC Division I East Lyme Coach: Mike Flynn (2nd year)
Key returnees: Sr. Rasa Kirvelevicius, Sr. Colleen Keller, Sr. Erin Collinge, Sr. Alicia Lan, Jr. Gillian Goodwin, Jr. Samantha Lyster, Sr. Erin Toole, Jr. Katelyn Sullivan, Jr. Aleisha Price, Jr. Lily DeCosta.
Top newcomers: Fr. Brie Am Ende, So. Madison Sjostrom, Jr. Chivalry Rukundo, So. Michelle Shavnya, Sr. Claire Mason.
Outlook: The Vikings made a splash in Flynn's debut season, sharing the Division I title, winning the ECC championship meet and placing fourth in the Class M state meet. Kirvelevicius, who placed fifth in the ECC meet, is among five key returnees for East Lyme, which has strong senior leadership and some young infusion of talent to be a factor at every level again this fall. Fitch
Coach: Shawn Towne (21st year) Key returnees: Jr. Julia Adrian, So. Emma Smith, So. Gabby Cardona, So. Sarah Servidio.
Top newcomers: Fr. Janessa Nelson, So. Ava Paprocki.
Outlook: Towne isn't sure the Falcons can compete with East Lyme and NFA within the division, but he expects Fitch to get better as the season progresses and "we hope to upset the apple cart" at the ECC meet. Adrian returns as the Falcons' top runner. Ledyard
Coach: Denise Descheneaux (1st year)
Key returnees: Sr. Averie Greenly, Jr. Jade Dessaint, Jr. Cassidy Carroll.
Top newcomers: So. Ally Tran, Jr. Savannah Houdeshell, Sr. Rachel Kane, So. Emma Chin.
Outlook: Descheneaux takes over for legendary coach Bruce Douglass, who retired after 44 seasons, and hopes the Colonels can be competitive within the division and improve at the state level, too. Greeley, a Top 20 finisher in last year's ECC meet, will lead Ledyard, which will rely on newcomers to provide
varsity depth this fall. Norwich Free Academy
Coach: Kara Kochanski-Vendola (11th season)
Key returnees: Sr. Sarah Burns, Sr. Sydney Corl, Sr. Katie Kelly, Sr. Sydney Kupis, Jr. Eve Buckridge, So. Madison Martin, So. EmmaGrace Ricketts, So. Kylie DiBernardo, So. Maeve Jacobs, Sydney Martin.
Top newcomers: Elinor Raggon, Katie Shannon, Fr. Tessa Hospod, So. Paige Martin.
Outlook: The Wildcats return four of their top five runners, including Buckridge (sixth in the ECC meet), from a team that shared the Division I title and finished second in the ECC meet. With plenty of senior leadership and some new, fresh faces joining the program, Kochanski-Vendola expects NFA to battle East Lyme again and remain one of the conference's elite programs. ECC Division II Montville Coach: Steve LaBranche (2nd year) Key returnees: Jr. Mady Whittaker, Jr. Emma Giurleo, So. Abby Rasmussen, Jr. Ellen Myshka.
Top newcomers: Jr. Morgan Orr, Fr. Lindsey Beaven.
Outlook: The Indians return their top three runners — Whittaker, Giurleo and
Rasmussen — along with last year's No. 5 runner (Myshka). Whittaker, a twotime all-state runner who placed third in last year's ECC meet, will be among the favorites to win this year's team title and LaBranche expects Montville to become more of a factor in Division II. Beaven and Orr are promising newcomers. Stonington Coach: Jenna Ross (9th year) Key returnees: Sr. Liz Gray, Sr. Brielle Fratoni-Jaskiewicz, Jr. Lindsey Orr, Jr. Caroline Morehouse, So. Abby Remmert, So. Kate Reagan, So. Lily Anderson. Top newcomers: Jr. Julia Rich, Jr. Nellie Horvath.
Outlook: Stonington returns five of its top seven runners from a team which was unbeaten in winning the ECC Division II title a year ago. Gray was seventh and Orr was 10th at the ECC meet, placing the Bears fourth overall. Ross believes they can improve on that finish, as well as a fifth-place finish in Class M. Waterford
Coach: Chris Gamble (11th year)
Key returnees: So. Lily Watson, Sr. Megan Goldschneider, Sr. Ashlynn Ruleman, Sr. Rebecca Fowke, Sr. Rayne Rivera.
Outlook: The Lancers lost No. 1 runner Emily Johnson to graduation, but Gamble still has some strong senior leadership that will lead the way and mentor some younger runners. Numbers aren't great, but there is still potential for a competitive season. ECC Division III St. Bernard Coach: Juliana Bassett (1st year) Key returnees: Sr. Christina McCaffrey, So. Brigid Kunka, So. Sophia Duhig, Jr. Payton McCauley, So. Hope Geise. Top newcomers: Fr. Rachel Kunka, Fr. Serena Britner.
Outlook: Bassett, who assisted Sue Griffin last year, takes over the program this fall. The Saints are the reigning Division III champions and placed fourth in the Class S state meet. St. Bernard graduated all-state runner Ellen Arvidson, but
will follow the lead of McCaffrey, who is confident after a strong track season. Bassett also expects both freshmen to make an immediate impact. Wheeler Coach: Marc Tardiff (16th season) Top newcomers: Fr. Juel Anderson, Fr. Miranda Pabsts, Brittney Riggins, Bridget Riggins. Outlook: The Lions began the preseason with only four runners, all newcomers, so Tardiff is hoping to add runners to field a team. The Riggins sisters are transfer students from New York. Others Norwich Tech Coach: Adam Lachendro (9th year) Key returnee: Jr. Syeare Thomas.
Outlook: The Warriors are rebuilding as they head into the new Connecticut Technical Conference. Thomas is the team's only experienced runner, so Norwich Tech will be relying on the growth of its freshman and sophomore classes. Old Lyme Coach: Barb O'Leary (35th year) Key returnees: Jr. Anna Sather, Jr. Faith Caulkins, Jr. Mackenzie Blue, Sr. Emma Pennie.
Outlook: The Wildcats should be a factor in the Shoreline Conference and at the state level with the return of four key runners, including Caulkins and Sather, both Top 20 finishers in last year's Class S meet where Old Lyme placed a respectable third. Williams School Coach: Gregory Bowman (4th year) Key returnee: Fr. Mary Madaus. Top newcomers: 8th grader Grace Casseneri. Outlook: Madaus, who has been running varsity for the Blues since the seventh grade, is already a two-time All-New England prep choice and will serve as team captain despite being only a freshman. Casseneri shows promise, but Williams is struggling with overall numbers.