Beating old rival NFA makes title even sweeter for Falcons

Norwich — The banner inside Fitch High School's gymnasium will trumpet the 2013 Eastern Connecticut Conference Large Division girls' cross country championship, a feat well earned Thursday during the league championship race at Norwich Golf Course.

But Fitch coach Shawn Towne almost sounded like a guy for whom the championship was secondary to something much sweeter.

His team beat Norwich Free Academy.

"During our Ledyard meet, Bruce Douglass knew exactly how many years and meets it was since he last beat NFA," Towne said. "I don't keep as good a track but I know (for Fitch) it was in 2003. So it's huge. Huge. Any chance to beat NFA, you better take advantage. They're a long and storied program. They're amazingly good at everything it seems like."

And so the following seven runners have a spot in Fitch lore: Sarah Dinovelli (eighth overall), Alana Olendorf (11th), Molly Reinhold (15th), Kitty Potter (31), Kaleigh Coers (32), Alicia Moroyoqui (33) and Kailey Sullivan (55).

Fitch won the meet overall as well with 97 points, edging Plainfield (100), NFA (113), Griswold (126) and Woodstock Academy (128).

"We have a young team and we have a long way to go," NFA coach Kara Kochanski-Vendola said. "We don't have a front runner this year. I think they're understanding what racing is about. Once they learn, they'll grow into it."

Plainfield's Kerri Ruffo was the individual winner in 20 minutes, 13 seconds over the 5K course. Ruffo's victory came after Griswold senior Alyssa Brehler collapsed on the course after holding a significant lead.

Brehler never finished the race. Medical personnel tended to her near the finish line before she left by ambulance. Similar circumstances have befallen Brehler in the past.

"She kept apologizing and there's nothing to apologize about," Griswold coach Mike Flynn said.

Flynn said Brehler collapsed with about 200 meters remaining.

"I told her nobody's upset with her," he said. "I believe there's something physically wrong since at two miles, I asked how she was doing and she smiled and said she felt good. When something's going wrong, I think mentally she's going 'oh, crap, here we go again.'"

Flynn said it's likely Brehler's last race, adding "I don't believe it's healthy for her."

Griswold won the Small Division and Plainfield won the Medium.

Meagan Perez of Griswold finished second (20:34) in front of Sylvia Lawrence (Woodstock), Kirsten Thompson (East Lyme) and Katherine Hageman (Bacon).

m.dimauro@theday.com