Cross Country Off to Fast Start

The boys cross-country team has raced out to a perfect 5-0 start, sweeping both of their meets so far. The girls team, despite only having five runners on the roster, have gotten strong individual performances to help them earn a 2-4 record early in the season.

Both teams had their freshmen, JV and varsity squads compete in the high humidity at the Bethel Invitational on Saturday.

“Beginning of the season, my goal was always to have a winning season, .500 or better,” boys head coach Ed Butt said of his expectations for the team that lost four of its top five runners from a year ago. “They had a good summer preparing, they ran well the first two meets on hard courses in bad conditions. We haven’t run any of the 'A' teams yet but I think we are going to be good, we’ll see.”

In the team's opening meet at home, the boys out-pointed Bethel 21-38 and Masuk 23-38. Jacob Mayerson paced the team with a first place finish and Adam Fox came in third. The team overall had four top 10 finishers with Eric Cruger taking fifth and Tyler Mannion ninth.

In the second meet held at Roosevelt Forest in Stratford, the team easily out-pointed the competition, registering 15-49 win over Bunnell and 15-50 wins over both Notre Dame-Fairfield and Kolbe Cathedral.

Fox ran out front in that meet, taking first. He was followed by Mayerson in second, Mannion in third, Jack McKeever in fourth, Cruger in fifth and Parker Timmerman in sixth. 

“Those are the top three guys,” Butt said of Mayerson, Fox and Mannion. “Cruger: huge surprise, Timmerman: huge surprise. It’s the beginning of the season, we are going to build on that, we got a long way to go. We are doing a god job, it’s all about the end.”

The team also had Cory McCollough and Kris Soyland take home top 10 spots. Overall the Bobcats placed 14 runners in the top 20.

“We don’t have that top state and conference runner like we have had in the past so we have to pack it up more,” Butt said. “But I’m hoping as the season goes on they are going to get that one to seven time closer and closer.”

Part of the team’s depth has come from the Bobcat wrestling squad, with McKeever and Blaise Boullaine leading a group of grapplers running well.

“Hard working, polite and good,” Butt said of the group.

At the invite in Bethel, Mayerson took sixth place and Mannion took 19th in the varsity race against 12 teams not only from the SWC but also the entire state. Mayerson’s finish was tops among any runners from the SWC. McKeever and Cruger finished in the top 30. The team finished in fifth place overall.

The freshman race was highlighted by the lone Bobcats runner, Ethan D’Orio, finishing in 10th place. The JV team was paced by Ben Soyland and Timothy Peterson, who both finished in the top 15.

“We have a big meet against Barlow, Pomperaug and New Fairfield,” Butt said of the team’s next meet at the Rebels on Tuesday. “That’s going to give us a real good barometer.”

The girls squad recovered from their opening season loss to Bethel, Masuk and Lauralton Hall by defeating Notre Dame-Fairfield 28-29 and Kolbe Cathedral 15-50. In the second meet they were defeated by Bunnell.

In the opening meet at home, the team was led by Hannah Lyon who finished 11th, Emily Smith who finished 15th and Kendra Lennon who finished 19th.

In the second meet Lyon placed second, Smith eighth and Lennon 11th. Alexandra Willey and Maria McArdle both had top 20 finishes.

“They are all running really well,” girls head coach Beth Goins Delany said. “They are under 30 minutes which is an improvement from my team last year. Hannah Lyon is running really well.”

Lyon was the top girls runner at the Bethel invite, placing 43rd.

“We are trying to get the girls into the best shape they can possibly be in, the best position they can be in,” Goins Delany said of what the small team is trying to achieve. “Hopefully Hannah [Lyon] can qualify for the state open. If we can push her to getting closer I’d be happy.”