Norwich — When Eve Buckridge says she never ran before high school, she really means never. Not in a road race. Not in her yard.

Not until she was a freshman at Norwich Free Academy last fall and a member of the girls' swim team, following in the path of her older sister Emma — the former Eastern Connecticut Conference champion in the 500-yard freestyle — did Buckridge do a little running to get ready for the conference meet.

Still, she didn't know that would lead to a cross country career.

"I've loved it so much," Buckridge said Tuesday, when she finished first for NFA in a four-way girls' cross country meet at hilly Mohegan Park, facing off against a ton of the league's top competitors. "Running is probably the best thing I've been able to do.

"The other girls have a lot more experience than me, but they take me under their wing. They tell me what pace I'm supposed to run in practice and things like that."

For the NFA girls, who swept through the regular season unbeaten last year, then finished a somewhat disappointing third overall at the ECC meet at Norwich Golf Course, with Stonington winning its first-ever league title, Tuesday was a good day. A really good day.

The Wildcats topped Stonington 23-35, Montville 19-44 and ECC Division I opponent Fitch 16-47. Buckridge was first on the 3.1-mile course in 21 minutes, 54 seconds, to outdistance Montville's Mady Whittaker (21:58) and Stonington's Caroline Morehouse (22:07), both of whom were in the top five at last year's league meet as freshmen.

NFA had Lindsay Sylvia fourth, Sydney Corl sixth, Breanna Cubilla seventh and Sydney Kupis 10th. Stonington's Liz Gray (fifth) and Lindsey Orr (eighth) and Fitch's Julia Adrian (ninth) were also in the top 10.

Stonington had wins over Fitch 18-43 and Montville 20-43 and Fitch defeated Montville 22-37.

NFA only beat Fitch by one point during last year's regular season.

"My kids are learning how to race," NFA coach Kara Kochanski-Vendola said. "We have a pack and Lindsay (a senior) is our No. 2 runner, but other than that we're young."

"We hoped to come in and run our best race," said Stonington coach Jenna Ross, in her eighth season, who said the Bears were running at Mohegan Park for the first time during her tenure. "But it gives us something to work toward for ECCs. It's early for us in the season. We'll be working on more strategy. This is our second tough race in a row — we had Bacon last week. ECCs is a month away. If the girls want to have it, they need to work for it."

As far as individuals, Buckridge took control of the race on the final hill before the finish, overtaking Morehouse.

"My strengths are on the hardest part of the courses, at least that's what I tell myself," Buckridge said with a smile. "I knew I had more to give."

Buckridge originally began running during indoor track last season, competing anywhere from 600 meters to the mile. She then ran the 1,600 and 3,200 meters this spring, finished in the top seven in both at the ECC meet and qualified to run both at the Class LL championship.

This summer, she attended Northeast Kingdom Running Camp in Vermont for two weeks.

"She came in here ready to go," Kochanski-Vendola said. "She's really strong, strong overall."

The Wildcats (5-0) are captained by Sylvia, Cubilla and Aliza Moyer.

In the boys' race, Brandon Mehlinger (17:29) led NFA to wins over Fitch (20-39), Montville (15-50) and Stonington (15-50). The NFA boys are also unbeaten at 5-0.

Fitch beat Montville 17-45 and Stonington 17-44 and Stonington defeated Montville 25-34.

NFA's Luke Shea was third, Nick Fitch fourth, Frankie Perrino fifth, Vinny Huang seventh, Brenden Sholes ninth and Jermale Jones 10th. Fitch's Tom Readett (second), Ian Poe (sixth) and Ryan Poe (eighth) were also in the top 10. Montville's Jayden Colon was 11th and Mark Costanzo was the first Stonington runner, 13th.

v.fulkerson@theday.com