BOYS

ECC LARGE

East Lyme

Coach: Steve Hargis (8th year)

Key returnees: Sr. Greg Atkinson (55 hurdles), Sr. Brandon Dinsmore (600), Sr. Peter Wu, Sr. Zane Smallidge, Sr. Victor Zhu, Sr. Chris Appicelli, Sr. Andrew Peitzsch, Jr. Josh Leffingwell, Jr. Vann Moffett.

Top newcomers: Sr. Jared Ayers, Sr. Tim LaDuca.

Outlook: Dinsmore, the reigning ECC Large champion in the 600 (he was also second in Class M) returns to lead a team that Hargis believes can be competitive in the division and improve upon last year's fifth-place finish. Dinsmore, Atkinson and Appicelli were also part of the Vikings' winning 4x360 relay team a year ago in the ECC Large meet.

Fitch

Coach: Rich Kosta (25th year)

Key returnees: Sr. Cameron Wilhelm (middle distance), Sr. Conor O'Donnell (middle distance), Sr. Miggy Gamboa (sprints, jumps), Sr. Josh Betancourt (jumps), Jr. Brian Robinson (shot put), Jr. Daelon Morgan (middle distance), Jr. Owwen Stanfield (sprints), So. Matt Kerst (distance), Jr. Isaac Perez (pole vault), Jr. Patrick Scheurer (hurdles), Jr. Ty-riq Hopkins (sprints), Jr. Dante Paul (shot), Sr. Eli Rosario Vega (shot), Jr. Blake Porter (jmps).

Top newcomers: Sr. Quartney Parker (sprints), Fr. Tom Readett (distance).

Outlook: The Falcons must replace one of the best all-around performers in school history (Tyler Latham), but there is experience, talent and depth in almost every event and Kosta is confident those ingredients will "translate to continued success" not only in the ECC, but at the state level, too.

Ledyard

Coach: Dave Tetlow (42nd year)

Key returnees: Sr. Bryce Hedman (distance), Sr. Michael Lopes (sprints, jumps), Sr. Joaquin Lopez-Watson (high jump), Sr. Zachary Sanyuan (sprints), Sr. JoJo Shumaker (sprints, long jump), Jr. Aaron Norcia (middle distance), Jr. Jeff O'Hanlon (shot put), Jr. Luke Saccone (hurdles, sprints), Jr. Josh Snow (distance), So. Manny DeShields-Sanabria (sprints).

Top newcomers: Sr. Al Zinno (pole vault), Jr. Ryan Lynch (sprints), Jr. Mitchell McClenny-Hempstead (shot), Jr. Eric McCracken (jumps, sprints), Jr. Branden Medina (sprints), Jr. Jeff Mercer (shot), So. Christian Kuss (distance), So. Andrew Laconico (sprints), Fr. Kyle Krupansky (sprints).

Outlook: The Colonels are the reigning ECC Large champions, but must replace Joe Carter, who won ECC Large titles in the 55 hurdles, 300 and long jump. Hedman, however, is coming off a strong cross country season when he won the ECC title and qualified for the New Englands, and is joined by Norcia and Kuss to provide some depth in the middle and distance events.

NFA

Coach: Thomas Teixeira (1st year)

Key returnees: Jr. Connor Gralton, Sr. Logan Hanson, So. Brandon Mehlinger, Sr. Andris Vital, Sr. Norman Manning.

Top newcomers: So. Craig Blake, Jr. J'Von Brown, So. R.J. Darby, So. Juwaun Johnson.

Outlook: Teixeira takes over a Wildcat program that remains one of the ECC's best, finishing second in last year's ECC Large meet. Gralton won Large titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 last winter and while Vital captured the State Open 100 championship during the outdoor season. NFA has plenty of experience and some talented newcomers who should be able to keep the Wildcats in the thick of the division competition.

ECC SMALL

Stonington

Coach: Ben Bowne (2nd year)

Key returnees: Sr. Matt Briggs (sprints, jumps), Sr. Jason Curioso (sprints), Sr. Pat Duggar (sprints), Sr. Conor Fenney (sprints), Sr. Max Hanson (distance), Sr. Matt Prue (sprints), Sr. Ulyssess Sepulveda (sprints), Jr. Jack Hansel Hartmann (shot), Jr. Jordan Purvis (shot), Jr. Adam Rugh (shot), Jr. Jake Ryan (shot), Jr. Kyle Whalen (sprints, jumps), So. Dmitri Van Duime (shot).

Top newcomers: Jr. Keiran Thornall (distance), Sr. Jack Riordan (multi events), Jr. Ben Rehhhof (distance), Jr. Ethan Sainsbury (distance), Jr. Ryan Sealey (shot), So. James Costa (sprints), So. Christian Curioso (sprints), So. Owen Donahue (sprints), So. Noah Pereira (shot), So. Carlos Valentin (sprints), Fr. John Nathaniel Bury (distance), Fr. Nicholas Denis (distance), Fr. Blake Edwards (distance), Fr. Aidan Feeney (sprints), Fr. Will Hardy (distance), Fr. Jason Kilcoyne (sprints), Fr. Scott Miano (distance), Fr. Ethan Murphy (distance), Fr. Shane Smith (distance), Fr. Cameron Whalen (multi events).

Outlook: The Bears look to move up in the division with the return of a veteran cast to go along with a young, talented new group. Bowne is particulary excited about a large freshman class the gives Stonington a solid foundation for the future.

Waterford

Coach: Jay Criscuolo (2nd year)

Key returnees: Sr. James Keth (55 hurdles), So. Connor Chung (300, 600), So. Jon Keth (300, long jump).

Top newcomers: Sr. Anthony Jordan (high jump, sprints), Sr. Caleb Harris (1,600), Jr. Robin Smith (long jump, sprints), Jr. Will Mead (pole vault), Jr. Spencer Hoagland (sprints).

Outlook: The Lancers lost a pair of elite sprinters in State Open champion Julio Gil-Martinez and Open finalist Bishme Sheppard, but Criscuolo thinks Waterford will have better depth with the addition of several skilled athletes from the football program. Harris and Jordan have the ability to place at the state level.

OTHERS

Old Lyme

Coach: Courtney Payzant (3rd year)

Key returnees: James Kolb (distance), Danny Kolb (distance), Ross Golebiewski (distance), Thomas Roth (distance).

Outlook: The Wildcats were hit hard by graduation and will struggle in some areas this winter in the Shoreline Conference, but they should be solid in the distance events led by Golebiewski, The Day's All-Area Athlete of the Year in cross country in 2013.

GIRLS

ECC LARGE

Ledyard

Coach: Dave Tetlow (42nd year)

Key returnees: Sr. Madison Canestrari (high jump), Sr. Brittany Marra (sprints, shot put), Sr. Stefanie Wegeil (sprints), Jr. Hannah Arnold (pole vault), Jr. Alexis Bickham (sprints), Jr. Megan Brawner (distance), Jr. Sydney Dudda (pole vault), Jr. Emily Kowalski (sprints), Jr. Carina Mitchell (middle distance), So. Sanai Carter (long jump, sprints), So. Erin Gralton (distance), So. Alex Houdeshell (distance).

Top newcomers: Sr. Jessica Burger (distance), Sr. Emma Cronin (distance), Sr. Brooke Scahill (sprints), Jr. Alexis Powell (distance), Jr. Katherine Woodmansee (distance), So. Lauren Hipplewitz (hurdles, sprints), So. Claudia Jackson (pole vault), So. Aiyahny Richardson (sprints), Fr. Shelby Olsen (hurdles, sprints), Fr. Rhema Phillips (long jump, sprints, hurdles), Fr. Stephanie Vetrano (sprints).

Outlook: Chenoa Sebastian, a State Open champion hurdler, has graduated, but the Colonels have experience and depth, as well as a healthy group of newcomers, this winter as they attempt to challenge East Lyme and NFA within the division and qualify enough individuals to be a factor in the Class M state meet, too.

NFA

Coach: Thomas Teixeira (1st year)

Key returnees: Sr. Amy Chasse, Sr. Alyssa Field, So. Kelsie Hall, Sr. Lauren Knerr, So. Margaret Lewerk, Sr. Henley Smith.

Top newcomers: So. Jasmyn Cuc-Jaenz, So. MacKenzie Lane, Sr. Legend Lemon, So. Lindsay Sylvia.

Outlook: The Wildcats finished second to East Lyme in the Large Division a year ago and were hit hard by graduation losses, losing six ECC all-stars, but NFA has some experience and Teixeira likes his group of newcomers. Hall, Lewerk and Knerr are accomplished in the relays and returning ECC all-stars.

ECC SMALL

Stonington

Coach: Ben Bowne (2nd year)

Key returnees: Sr. Jaime Costa (pole vault), Sr. Hannah Lyon (distance), Sr. Kenna McWilliams (sprints), Sr. Kaeli Novak (sprints), Sr. Meg Rolfe (sprints), Sr. Jenny Sieczkiewicz (sprints), Sr. Casey Williams (sprints), Jr. Brooke Arruda (shot), Jr. Abby Blanchard (multi events), Jr. Mallory Kane (jumps, sprints), Jr. Alex Pratt (jumps, sprints), So. Emma Brown (jumps), So. Marissa Yambao (shot).

Top newcomers: Sr. Gabi Hoops (multi events), Jr. Ana Bornstein (distance), Jr. Francesca Fein (hurdles), Jr. Rhianna Maynard (distance), So. Sara Belchik (sprints), So. Maia Smith (distance), Fr. Sophia Anderson (shot), Fr. Sarah Beverly (distance), Fr. Katherine Cintron (shot), Fr. Liz Gray (distance), Fr. Katja Seiling (shot), Fr. Abby Wang (distance).

Outlook: The Bears return the bulk of their team and have added some depth, especially in the distance events. Bowne also said Stonington has strong leadership from its senior class and great versatility in the relay enoughs, two areas would could helpe the Bears challenge for a division title.

Waterford

Coach: Jay Criscuolo (2nd year)

Key returnees: Sr. Riley Dimmock (hurdles), Sr. Kakayla Andrews (high jump, sprints), Jr. Leah Petrini (sprints), so. Carissa Aekins (sprints).

Top newcomers: So. Grace Mimnaugh (shot put), So. Rachel Dondero (high jump).

Outlook: Numbers are up at Waterford, where Criscuolo epects to have better depth in the sprints, jumps, hurdles and shot. The distance group is thin, however, and the Lancers' must improve in that area to be competitive at the ECC Small meet.

OTHERS

Old Lyme

Coach: Courtney Payzant (3rd year)

Key returnees: Sam Lee (sprints), Mae Lucey (distance), Megan Burns (sprints), Rande Gearing (sprints).

Top newcomer: Emma Pennie (distance).

Outlook: The Wildcats will be much more competitive in the Shoreline Conference this season, especially in the distance events with the addition of Pennie, a freshman who earned Class S all-state honors in cross country after placing eighth in the state meet.