H.S. boys' and girls' cross country preview capsules
ECC DIVISION I East Lyme Coach: Mike Flynn (3rd year) Key returnees: Jr. Gilly Goodwin, Jr. Samantha Lyster, Sr. Katrina Schlesselman, So. Brie Am Ende, Sr. Aleisha Price, So. Madison Sjostrom. Top newcomers: Fr. Julia Giegel, Fr. Sydner Sager, So. Karena Kung, Jr. Julia Walker.
Outlook: The two-time ECC champions must replace four of their top seven runners, so a three-peat will be a difficult chore. Am Ende finished 10th in the ECC meet as a freshman and will be one of the Vikings’ frontrunners along with Goodwin and Lyster. Flynn has also been impressed with Sjostrom and all of the newcomers. “The team needs someone to emerge as the frontrunner, but looks to have a strong pack,” Flynn said. “It will be a work in progress, but the goals remain the same.” Fitch
Coach: Shawn Towne (24th year) Key returnees: Sr. Julia Adrian, Jr. Gabby Cardona, Jr. Emma Smith, Jr. Ava Paprocki, Jr. Graysen Scherer. Top newcomers: Fr. Lily Cartier, So. Kathryn Barnes.
Outlook: Adrian, who placed seventh in the ECC meet last season, returns for her final season and Towne expects her to be one of the conference’s top runners. She will lead a group of younger runners who hope to improve this fall.
ECC DIVISION II Ledyard Coach: Denise Descheneaux (2nd year) Key returnees: Sr. Jade Dessaint, Jr. Ally Tran, Sr. Savannah Houdeshell, Jr. Emma Chin.
Top newcomers: Fr. Katherine Harren, Fr. Victoria Schweitzer.
Outlook: The Colonels went 8-5 in Descheneaux’s first season and placed a solid sixth in the ECC meet. They lose their top runner, Averie Greeley, but return a veteran cast led by Dessaint and Tran, and Descheneaux expects her freshmen to be a factor, too. “We hope to keep building and moving up the ranks in the ECC,” she said.
Stonington
Coach: Jenna Ross (10th year)
Key returnees: Jr. Lily Anderson, Sr. Lindsey Orr, Sr. Caroline Morehouse, Jr. Abby Remmert, Jr. Mary Gray, So. Sasha Oakes.
Top newcomer: Fr. Maddie Hamm. Outlook: The Bears went 11-1 in 2017, their lone loss to ECC champion East Lyme, and won the Division II title before placing third in the ECC meet. Anderson was the ECC runner-up and Gray (sixth) and Orr (15th) also placed in the top 15. Stonington should challenge for an ECC title this year improve its standing in the Class M state meet.
Waterford Coach: Chris Gamble (12th year) Key returnees: Sr. Catherine Saucier.
Outlook: Saucier, last year’s top runner, returns and will be the leader on and off the course, Gamble said, because the 2018 Lancers have a young, small team that is rebuilding. “Achieving personal bests throughout the season will make it a successful one,” Gamble said. ECC DIVISION III Montville Coach: Steven LaBranche (3rd year) Key returnees: Sr. Mady Whittaker, Jr. Abby Rasmussen, So. Lindsey Beavan, Sr. Emma Giurleo, Sr. Morgan Orr.
Top newcomers: So. Maddie Gould, Jr. Lexi Peck.
Outlook: The Indians are ready for a breakout season, returning virtually their entire varsity, including reigning ECC champion Whittaker, a three-time all-state pick and The Day’s 2017 All-Area Athlete of the Year. LaBranche expects Rasmussen, Bevan, Giurleo and Orr to push each other to new levels and has been encouraged by the addition of Gould, who won the ECC indoor title in the 3,200. Montville expects to challenge for a division title and make some noise at the ECC and state meets.
St. Bernard
Coach: Juliana Bassett (2nd year)
Key returnees: Jr. Brigid Kunka, So. Serena Britner, So. Rachel Kunka, Sr. Payton McCauley, Jr. Hope Geise.
Top newcomers: Jr. Grace Reilly, Fr. Lillian Turner, Fr. Ana Graul.
Outlook: The Saints went unbeaten and won the ECC Division III title in Bassett’s first season, following that up with solid fourth-place finishes in the ECC meet and Class S state championship meet. They must replace their top runner, Christina McCaffrey, but Brigid Kunka has emerged as St. Bernard’s top runner with Britner and Rachel Kunka running close behind. Expect the Saints to challenge for another division title. ECC DIVISION IV New London Coach: Bob Castronova Key returnees: So. Gillian Melville, So. Alexandria DeGuinia. Top newcomers: So. Sophie Holdridge, Sr. Jazmine Silva.
Outlook: The Whalers, who struggled in Division I, move down to the newly-realigned Division IV with Plainfield, Putnam, Tourtellotte and Wheeler, where Castronova expects New London to be more competitive and enjoy some success.
Wheeler
Coach: Shannon Curioso (1st year)
Key returnees: Sr. Brittney Riggins, Jr. Bridget Riggins, So. Miranda Pabst.
Top newcomers: Jr. Kristiana Ram, Fr. Madelyn Gauthier.
Outlook: The Lions revived their program a year ago and look for more improvement this year under Curioso. Riggins is the top returning runner for Wheeler, which will compete in the new Division IV with New London, Plainfield, Putnam and Tourtellotte. OTHERS Grasso Tech Coach: Thomas Allen (6th year) Key returnees: Sr. Lucy Driscoll, Sr. Tia DeWolf, Jr. Gladys Alarcon. Top newcomer: Gabriela Cabrera. Outlook: The Eagles, who moved to the Connecticut Technical Conference last year, look forward to more growth in 2018 with the return of some veterans runners.