BOYS

ECC

Division I

East Lyme

Coach: Mike Flynn (3rd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Brendan Fant, Sr. Ted Bergman, Jr. Kai Ritz, Jr. Nate Bergman, Jr. Maddox Grillo-Smith, Jr. Mason Hintze, So. Sean McCauley, So. Matt Carrier, So. Jack Jensen.

Top newcomers: Sr. Lucas DeNucci, So. Andrew Carrier, So. Dylan Johnson, So. Jalali Benjdid, Fr. Gavin Fant, Fr. Adrik Gates, Fr. Luke Bergman, Fr. Topher Regan.

Outlook: Defending ECC champion East Lyme returns five of seven runners. Not only that, but Flynn sees “tremendous” leaps from many of the returnees, so much so that he believes 13 or 14 of them could be contending for the Vikings’ top seven spots. “This team’s passion for running and truly being a team has been inspiring and everyone is looking forward to getting some racing in while focusing on the postseason for peak performances,” Flynn said. Brendan Fant was an All-ECC and all-state pick last fall and McCauley capped his freshman year in the spring by running a 4:37 mile in track. East Lyme loses ECC and Class MM champion Luke Anthony (a national qualifier), now running for Division I Providence College.

Fitch

Coach: Rich Kosta (10th season)

Key returnees: Jr. Ryan Dunning, Jr. Kaiden Chandler, Jr. Patrick Lindy.

Top newcomers: So. Chase Jackson, Fr. Keeghan Chandler, Fr. Julien Silva, Fr. Jordan Harris.

Outlook: The Falcons graduated a pair of ECC Division I all-stars in Carson Riley and Ben Chidley, leaving a young team with no seniors and only three returning juniors with any varsity exposure. “That said,” Kosta said, “this group, including six freshmen, conditioned all summer and they will be ready to compete with any team in the ECC.” Dunning was third in the 1,600 at the ECC Division I championship track meet this spring and sixth in the 3,200.

NFA

Coach: Jaclyn Sullivan (4th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Ethan Manfredi, Jr. Sawyer Barile. Jr. Nicholas DeBartolo, So. Jesse Croteau, So. Patrick Croughwell, So. Robinson Meuse, So. Owen Muench.

Top newcomers: Sr. Ashton Croteau, So. Daniel Derjue, So. Anthony DeBartolo, Fr. Michael Fusaro, Fr. Andrew Hickey, Fr. Cooper Kilpatrick, Fr. Christopher Rivera.

Outlook: The NFA team will feel the loss of captain and State Open qualifier Tyler Crabb. However, Ethan Manfredi was the top finisher for the Wildcats at last year’s ECC meet, fourth, and Sullivan said he’s looked impressive in the preseason, preparing to lead a young squad. Croughwell and Barile have both shown growth since last season and DeBartolo, Croteau and the rest of the returning sophomores will round out NFA’s top seven. “NFA will look to be competitive at the ECC championship meet this year and will strive to gain experience to become a factor at the state championship level,” Sullivan said.

(Other teams in division: Woodstock Academy)

Division II

Bacon Academy

Coach: Jay Lucas (20th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Ryan Moores, Sr. Brendan Reas, Jr. Carson Brown, Jr. Aaron Fidrych.

Top newcomers: Sr. Drew Lima, Sr. Wyatt Nowakowski, Jr. Logan Dimitri, So. Kevin Reas

Outlook: Moores is a proven ECC long-distance power, including winning the league’s Division I 1,600-meter title in the spring, and the Bobcats have a strong core in general according to Lucas. The coach said, however, that Bacon is looking to develop two or three more athletes to round out the top seven. “If this can happen, especially in the latter part of the season, we can be competitive in our division,” Lucas said.

Griswold

Coach: Kelsey Tobler (6th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Lucas Strain, Sr. Michael Strain, Sr. Jacob Strain, Sr. Jackson Collins, Jr. Maxwell Brown.

Top newcomers: So. Cole Fontaine, Fr. Vincent Andreozzi.

Outlook: The Strain triplets were each in the top eight of the ECC meet last season, with Michael leading the way in second place — Jacob was fifth and Lucas eighth — to push Griswold to a second-place team finish, just six points behind overall champ East Lyme. The Wolverines move from Division III, where they won the title last year, to Division II in the ECC, yet another challenge. Griswold was third in the Class SS state championship last year and, with this much experience, figures to again be a factor.

Ledyard

Coach: Chris Helminski (2nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Auguste Estriplet, Jr. Hayden Baber, Jr. Jack Hill, Jr. Gabe Huff, Jr. Jack Garcia, So. Antonio Soldato, So. Jacob York, So. Ian McGee.

Top newcomers: Fr. J. Parker Widlicka.

Outlook: Baber was an All-ECC selection in the division last year, having placed 19th at the ECC meet and continuing to improve through the indoor and outdoor track seasons, leading the Colonels’ indoor 4x720 relay team to an ECC title along with Estriplet, Hill and the graduated Braedyn Caouette. “Last year we finished 18 out of 23 teams in the state and this year we hope to capitalize on all the progress we’ve made so far in 2022 and use that momentum to bring us to a top 5 team within the state and being divisional champions within the ECC,” Helminski said.

Waterford

Coach: Chris Gamble (16th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Luke Bartlett, Sr. Trevor Stringer, Jr. Jay Zimmermann, Jr. Xavier Del Grosso.

Top newcomers: Sr. J.P. O’Leary.

Outlook: The Lancers lost three consistent runners from last year’s ECC Division II championship team to graduation (All-ECC honorees Enzo Guarnieri, Zac Gamble and Theo Joseph), but are returning several runners that competed at the varsity level last season. The team will be looking to another ECC Division II all-star in Bartlett and the other upperclassmen to lead this young team.

(Other teams in division: Killingly)

Division III

Lyman Memorial

Coach: Chantal Fields (2nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Maxwell Ponte, Sr. Ryan Dungan, Jr. Kyle Franchi, Jr. Hunter Sanchez, Jr. Ryan Spellman, So. Oliver Gatti.

Outlook: The Bulldogs graduated ECC Division III all-star Grayson LeMay but return a solid core group of runners which has given the coaches “a positive outlook for the season.”

Montville

Coach: Steven LaBranche (7th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Dylan Horkey, Jr. Jack Brehler.

Top newcomers: So. Nathan Dhillon.

Outlook: In only his second season of cross country, senior captain Dylan Horkey has rapidly moved up into the top spot on the team, according to LaBranche, with fellow ECC all-star and junior captain Jack Brehler returning as the solid No. 2. Tracking behind them is a tight pack of five, including junior Nick James and four sophomores (Brady Bilheimer, Alex Joseph, Kyler Newer and newcomer Nathan Dhillon) that could catapult Montville into contention for the Division III title.

St. Bernard

Coach: Juliana Rosas (2nd season)

Key returnees: So. Geoffrey Siebert.

Top newcomers: Fr. Maddox Roan, Fr. Ben-Stein Fanfan.

Outlook: As a majority of last year's team moved on or graduated, the Saints have a young group. “The Saints are looking to gain more running experience and to continue improving this year,” Rosas said.

Stonington

Coach: Megan Chapman (2nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Ryan Gruczka, So. Brady deCastro, So. Emerson Baltrukonis.

Outlook: One of the premier athletes in the ECC, Gruczka had an unfortunate finish to the 2021 cross country season as he collapsed near the finish line of the league meet and finished 16th. After that, Gruczka led the Stonington indoor and outdoor track teams to state championships and was named The Day’s All-Area Indoor Track Athlete of the Year after winning the Class S championship in the 1,000 meters and finishing third in the State Open. “Ryan is really ready to get out there and race,” Chapman said. “We have so many freshmen and sophomores that this year will be a great year for us to build.”

(Other teams in division: Windham)

Division IV

New London

Coach: Gunnar Tonnesen (1st season)

Key returnees: Jr. Fabian Villate.

Outlook: The Whalers suffered several key losses, including ECC Division IV all-star Gabriel Frommer, but Tonnesen is hoping that more runners will join the program to “allow us to still grow and compete,” he said.

Wheeler

Coach: Marc Tardiff (23rd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Evan Browne, Sr. Nathaniel Dobley, Jr. Cam Conway, Jr. Jayson Krysiewicz, So. Trevor Scarchilli.

Top newcomers: Sr. Ethan Sweet, Jr. Jon Nave.

Outlook: Conway and Scarchilli were All-ECC Division IV selections last year and, in all, Tardiff sees a lot of positives. Sweet, a transfer, will add to that in a season Tardiff hopes the Lions will contend for the division title.

(Other teams in division: Plainfield, Putnam and Tourtellotte)

Others

Norwich Tech

Coach: Catherine Sikorski (5th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Joseph Morse, Sr. Jay Podziewski, Jr. Justin Caisse, Jr. Elijah Orbe.

Top newcomers: So. Raven Benigno, So. Dylan Coutu, So. Giuseppe Race.

Outlook: The Warriors have several key returning runners, led by captains Morse and Podziewski. “We are a small team but look to build on our successes and being competitive within our conference,” Sikorski said. Norwich Tech competes in the Connecticut Technical Conference.

Old Lyme

Coach: Aron D’Aquila (4th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Dylan Hovey, Sr. Marco Supersano, Sr. Harry Whitten, Sr. George Williams, Jr. Eric Dagher, Jr. Leland Hine, Jr. Gabriel Tooker, So. Mark Burnham, So. Simon Karpinski, So. Evan LeQuire, So. James Emmanuel Straub.

Top newcomers: Sr. Calvin Monte, Sr. Caden Monte, Sr. Arber Hoxha, Fr. Andrew Taylor, Fr. Carson St. Louis, Fr. Christopher Kachur.

Outlook: D’Aquila said the returning runners, including seniors Whitten and Williams, the Wildcats’ top two runners at last year’s Shoreline Conference meet, have put in their summer miles and are ready to race. “Sprinkle in some freshmen and new athletes ready to work, I think the Wildcats will put up a good showing at this season’s conference championship and invitationals,” the coach said. Whitten was 10th in the Class S track championship this spring in the 1,600 and Williams 15th in the 3,200.

Williams

Coach: Ana Schavoir (6th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Ryan Teseschi, Sr. Jackson Raisbeck, Jr. Rowan McGrath, Jr. Tyler Boissevain.

Top newcomers: Fr. Connor Gingras, Fr. Jay Lui. Fr. Dorian Poulard, Fr. Calvin LaFrance, Fr. Jadiel Thomas.

Outlook: The Blues lost mainstay Phil Knowlton to graduation but Schavoir is looking forward to an exciting season with a number of returnees.

GIRLS

ECC

Division I

East Lyme

Coach: Mike Flynn (7th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Kennedy Holsapple, Sr. Hannah Bergeron, Sr. Kayleigh Jensen, Sr. Mannat Kadian, Sr. Eve Slemp, Jr. Izzy Paggioli, Jr. Aranza Torres, Jr. Alexandra Carlson, So. Maya D'Aquila, So. Emily Macklin.

Top newcomers: Sr. Ava Mauri.

Outlook: East Lyme returns six of seven runners from last year’s team which won the ECC championship and finished third in Class MM, including four of the top 10 finishers in the league meet in Paggioli (4th), Holsapple (6th), Torres (7th) and D’Aquila (9th), with Paggioli going on to earn all-state honors. “Combining their experience with a strong summer of training, this team will have the opportunity to continue and build on previous teams’ successes,” Flynn said. “This group truly loves cross country and has been focused, excited and impressive as the season has started. We have strong depth and a pack that will interchange places throughout the season.”

Fitch

Coach: Shawn Towne (28th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Mia Hankey, Sr. Meriel Robbins, So. Ava Kennedy.

Outlook: Kennedy was among the Falcons’ top seven last season as a freshman. Towne calls Division I “loaded” and hopes his young team will improve in time to be at its best for the ECC championship meet.

NFA

Coach: Kara Kochanski-Vendola (15th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Eliana Duclos, Sr. Anna Gosselin, Sr. Ella Krzywicki, Sr. Delaney Phelps, Sr. Anna Ricketts, Jr. Jennifer Aguilar, Jr. Caroline Holmberg, So. Elya Anor, So. Meadow Brown, So. Ava Hatch, So. Cathleen Mai, So. Taylor Ross.

Top newcomers: So. Karina Chan, So. Izabella Fusco, So. Kaitlyn Titus, Fr. McKenzie Connell, Fr. Isis Ortizbrown.

Outlook: Ricketts and Phelps captain what Kochanski-Vendola terms an “ambitious, young team,” after the graduation of No. 1 runner Sophia Jones. Ricketts was an ECC Division I honorable mention all-star for the Wildcats, who have started the season with a number of bonding activities, the coach said, getting ready for a competitive season.

(Other teams in division: Woodstock Academy)

Division II

Bacon Academy

Coach: Matt Lane (7th season)

Outlook: The Bobcats will be rebuilding following the loss of Jordan Malloy, the ECC’s individual runner-up last season and the two-time conference champ — now running for Stonehill College — along with the bulk of the lineup from last season. Seniors Theresa Mathieu (All-ECC Division II), Brooke Rodgers and junior Melinda McKenzie all have varsity experience.

Griswold

Coach: Greg Schoen (7th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Kendall Larkin, Sr. Laila Bakhshalizadeh, Sr. Kathryn Melgey, Sr. Elana Healy, So. Kylyn Paulhus, So. Arianna Pedraza, So. Danica Smith.

Top newcomers: So. Amaya Smith, Fr. Ryley Hubert, Fr. Aaliyah Dosithe-Lassiter, Fr. Zelie Dietz, Fr. Aurianna Giwa.

Outlook: This year's team is the largest Schoen can remember with 13 runners and the seniors, including captains Larkin and Bakhshalizadeh, have created a family-like atmosphere. “The senior captains have set the standard to work hard every day and have created a team core and strength workout schedule. The team really pushes each other to be their best and to keep a positive attitude,” Schoen said. Larkin was an All-ECC Division III honoree last season.

Ledyard

Coach: Denise Descheneaux (6th season)

Key returnees: Jr. Ella Stephenson, Jr. Avery Widlicka, Jr. Samantha Doran, So. Josephine Withbroe.

Top newcomers: So. Kate Littler, Fr. Mackenzie Boyer.

Outlook: Descheneaux calls this team “small but mighty” as it attempts to defend its ECC Division II title. The Colonels graduated Clare Inyang (3rd in the ECC championship last year) and Victoria Schweitzer (13th), but return an All-ECC selection in Widlicka (16th), as well as boasting a pair of track and field standouts in Stephenson and Littler. Said Descheneaux: “I’m looking forward to seeing how far this team will go.”

Waterford

Coach: Chris Gamble (16th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Avery Pepin, Jr. Madison LaForte, So. Molly Bartlett, So Gabbie Russ, So. Adeline Steinhaus.

Top newcomers: So. Avery Maiese, Fr. Ava Lee.

Outlook: Numbers are on the low side but the Lancers are not lacking in quality runners. LaForte is a returning ECC Division II all-star and Maiese was the ECC Division I 3,200-meter champion in the spring. Said Gamble: “The potential is there to be competitive, but a couple runners need to step up to the challenge.”

(Other teams in division: Killingly)

Division III

Lyman Memorial

Coach: Chantal Fields (2nd season)

Key returnees: Jr. Genevieve Gardella.

Top newcomers: So. Larhamie McKusick, So. Kayla Osga, Fr. Hazel DeLucia, Fr. Sylvie Hiltz.

Outlook: Despite the key losses of Helen Blakeslee and Kristen Goodrich to graduation, the Bulldogs have an increase in numbers which will allow them to score at meets. Gardella was one of only three members of the team to compete at last year’s ECC meet.

Montville

Coach: Steven LaBranche (7th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Maya Suarez, Sr. Jaisey Galvin, Jr. Sage Gressly, So. Brenna LaBranche.

Top newcomers: Sr. Ekaterini Tassis, So. Chloe Hammer.

Outlook: With just six runners, the team is small and will balance training and injury avoidance very closely, according to LaBranche. Senior captain Maya Suarez returns to lead Montville in pursuit of a Division III team title. She looks to exceed her 2021 individual accomplishments, which included ECC all-conference (finishing fifth) and Class SS all-state honors (finishing seventh) last fall, the 3,200-meter school record during indoor track and ECC titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 at last spring's ECC Division III-IV. Joining her is four-time varsity runner and ECC all-star Jaisey Galvin. Brenna LaBranche and Tassis will also help anchor the varsity squad.

St. Bernard

Coach: Juliana Rosas (7th season)

Key returnees: Jr. Audrey-Jane Turner, So. Mia Klewin, So. Violet Kunka.

Top newcomers: Sr. Charlotte Kunka, So. Hope Ouellette, Fr. Helena Coury, Fr. Martha Hammond.

Outlook: After winning the ECC Division III title last year, the Saints graduated five four-year runners, including All-ECC pick Lillian Turner, leaving them inexperienced yet talented. Looking to continue being competitive in the division, St. Bernard will be led by sophomore Mia Klewin and freshman Helena Coury.

Stonington

Coach: Megan Chapman (2nd season)

Outlook: The Bears had four runners compete in last year’s ECC meet and did not score, with the most seasoned of those athletes, Molly Neale, lost to graduation. Chapman said everyone on this year’s roster is new to the team, with Stonington using the opportunity to build.

(Other teams in division: Windham)

Division IV

New London

Coach: Gunnar Tonnesen (1st season)

Top newcomers: Olivia Crane-Benjamin.

Outlook: Tonnesen is hoping the Whalers can add to their numbers as the season progresses, but said the athletes he has in the program show a great deal of enthusiasm.

Wheeler

Coach: Bern Macca (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Lucy Smith, Sr. Kiara Korten, Jr. Rose Tardiff, So. Carissa Browne.

Top newcomers: Fr. Ella Reichert, Fr. Stella Thompson, Fr. Ava Vangieri.

Outlook: The Lions won the Division IV title last season and have an even deeper roster this year. Smith was Wheeler’s top finisher at the ECC meet in 40th.

(Other teams in division: Plainfield, Putnam and Tourtellotte)

Others

Grasso Tech

Coach: Paul Jones (9th season)

Top newcomers: Olivia Carey, Anicia Guerrero, Avery Denis.

Outlook: Jones is looking forward to seeing how the Eagles’ newcomers will progress after losing Kylee Morrison, who was fourth in last year’s Connecticut Technical Conference championship. Carey raced in last year’s CTC junior varsity championship race.

Norwich Tech

Coach: Catherine Sikorski (5th season)

Key returnees: Jr. Lillian Daniels.

Top newcomers: Jr. Matilda MacGregor.

Outlook: Norwich Tech has only two runners, but they are eager to compete, Sikorski said. Daniels is entering her third season as a member of the team, which competes in the CTC.

Old Lyme

Coach: Courtney Baklik (3rd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Gesami Vazquez, Sr. Madeleine Morgado, Sr. Alyssa Spooner, Jr. Alexis Antonellis.

Top newcomers: So. Grace Ferman, Fr. Chase Gilbert, Fr. Maya Cook.

Outlook: Antonellis was Old Lyme’s top finisher at last year’s Shoreline Conference meet, 15th, and the team brings back a few members who missed last season due to injury. Baklik calls the Wildcats “enthusiastic and dedicated to their training.” Vazquez was sixth in Class S in the 3,200 meters this spring and joined Spooner in leading Old Lyme’s 4x800 relay team to a seventh-place finish.

Williams

Coach: Ana Schavoir (6th season)

Key returnees: Jr. Helen Godshall, Jr. Bea Palmer, Jr. Avery Ruhe.

Top newcomers: Fr. Kaitlyn Kumpf.

Outlook: Williams graduated Grace Cassineri from its lineup, but has a number of experienced runners to help fill her shoes.