ECC Division I

East Lyme

Coach: Steve Hargis (12th season)

Key returnees: So. Jilali Benjdid (distance), Jr. Nate Bergman (middle distance), Sr. Ted Bergman (distance), So. Sean McCauley (distance), Jr. Mason Hintz (middle distance), Sr. Lucas Denucci (sprints), Jr. Kai Ritz (middle distance), So. Matt Carrier (distance), So. Dylan Johnson (distance), Jr. Will Chekal (distance), Jr. Maddox Grillo-Smith (middle distance), So. Andrew Carrier (middle distance), Jr. Jack Jensen (middle distance), Jr. Beck Schultz (middle distance), Jr. Darius Kirvelevicius (middle distance), Jr. Kaleb MyInarski-Gagnon (middle distance), Jr. David Frazer (middle distance), So. Logan Reddy (distance), Sr. Shawn Henning (sprints, jumps), So. Thomas Matlock (shot put), Sr. Jack Keating (sprints), Jr. Spencer Kennedy (sprints, jumps), Jr. Matthew Leone (sprints, hurdles), Sr. Max Lichtenfels (sprints), Jr. Jacky Lin (hurdles), Sr. Thomas McCormack (jumps), So. Calloway Scott (jumps), So. Jaxon Vargas (hurdles), Sr. Nolan Whritenour (sprints, jumps), Sr. Xander Lopez (shot put), So. Declan Bee (jumps).

Top newcomers: Sr. Brendan Fant (middle distance), Jr. Finian Gates (middle distance), Fr. Adrik Gates (distance), Fr. Sam Leone (distance), Fr. Topher Regan (middle distance), Fr. Ivan Butova (distance), Fr. Gavin Fant (distance).

Outlook: The reigning champions have tremendous depth and talent, especially in the relays and middle and long distance events. Brendan Fant and McCauley were all-state performers who led the Vikings to the Class MM state cross country championship in the fall.

Fitch

Coach: Rich Kosta (32nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Charlie Tarbox (sprints), Sr. Charles Cabusao (pprints), Sr. Nym Gamboa (sprints), Jr. Zayshawn Griffin (jumps), Jr. Ryan Dunning (distance), Jr. Kaiden Chandler (distance), Sr. Derek Osborne (pole vault), Jr. Patrick Lindy (middle distance), Jr. Amill Houston (sprints), Jr. Collin Riley (sprints, 55 hurdles).

Top newcomers: Jr. Gianni Colebut (sprints, jumps), Jr. Calvin McCoy III (sprints, jumps).

Outlook: The Falcons have talent and experience in the sprints and jumps, and Kosta is confident Fitch will field some state level relay teams as the season progress. “A good turnout with lots of new faces especially in the freshmen class will hopefully give the team some needed depth,” he said.

NFA

Coach: Ted Koziol (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Shane Baran (sprints), Jr. Sawyer Barile (distance), Sr. Ashton Croteau (distance), So. Jesse Croteau (distance), Sr. Lucas Croteau (sprints), So. Patrick Croughwell (distance), Jr. Nicholas DeBartolo (distance), Sr. DeAndre Ducael (shot put), Sr. Stephen Lee (sprints), Sr. Ethan Manfredi (distance), So. Robinson Meuse (distance), Sr. Davon Mosley (sprints), Sr. Mason Nixie (jumps), Sr. Jeremiah Paul (sprints, jumps), Sr. Gabe Weber (pole vault), Jr. Nehemiah Yorke (sprints).

Top newcomers: Fr. Giovanni Aliano (distance), So. Chris Amy (shot put), So. Gregory Bourdon (distance), Fr. Chase Busila (distance), Jr. Connor Gaughan (sprints), Jr. Mason Holt (shot put), Sr. Jake Kenney (sprints), So. Kyle Kornacki (sprints), Sr. David Smith (sprints), Sr. Terrence Wong (sprints), So. Josh Wucik (distance).

Outlook: Koziol, a former Ledyard assistant, takes over the Wildcats, who finished second in the division a year ago but return a vetern group led by Paul, Lee, Mosley, Ashton Croteau, Manfredi and Ducael. NFA has more than 70 athletes in the program, including some talented underclassmen, so Koziol is looking forward to developing that talent and maintaining overall team depth.

Waterford

Coach: Kevin Blackburn (5th season)

Key returnees: Jr. Elliot Childs (hurdles, sprints), Sr. Jordon Dunkerley (shot put), Sr, Alex Martinez (distance), Sr. Jay Zimmermann (distance, pole vault).

Top newcomers: Jr. Jon Booth (jumps), Jr. Rhys Tickner (jumps).

Outlook: The Lancers can’t match the depth of others in Division I, so the emphasis will be on personal improvement in hopes of peaking for the ECC and state meets.

ECC Division II

Ledyard

Coach: Dave Tetlow (50th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Sam Almeida (sprints), Sr. Mason Day (sprints), Sr. Auguste Estriplet (middle distance), Sr. Jackson Poulton (sprints, long jump), Sr. Jonas Regondola (hurdles), Sr. Jaden Tetlow (shot put), Jr. Hayden Baber (middle distance, distance), Jr. Jonathan DiPalma-Herb (pole vault), Jr. Sean Harren (middle distance), Jr. Jack Hill (distance), Jr. Brady Moorehead (pole vault), Jr. Luca Viviano (pole vault), Jr. Clark Ysewyn (shot put), So. Niko Cayangyang (middle distance), So. Roan Fothergill (sprints), So. Myles Streckfuss (high jump), So. Paulo Templeton (sprints).

Top newcomers: Sr. Nick D'Amato (distance), Sr. Jacob Lenz (long jump, sprints), Sr. Tyler LaPerle (sprints), Jr. Gabriel Huff (middle distance), Jr. Steven Ives (distance), Jr. Mateo Viviano (pole vault), Jr. Christian Wiltshire (jumps), So. Anthony Adamick (jumps), So. Patrick Scully (sprints), So. Antonio Soldato (distance), Sr. Parker Widlicka (distance).

Outlook: The Colonels have experience and depth in almost every event, which should put them right in the thick of the ECC Division II race and allow them to be a factor in the Class M meet, too. Tetlow expects to have a number of athletes qualify for the State Open and possibly New England meet.

Lyman Memorial

Coach: Chantal Fields (3rd season)

Key returnees: Jr. Jeremiah Bobbi (sprints), Sr Ryan Dungan (sprints, hurdles, pole vault), Jr. Kyle Franchi (jumps), Jr. Nick Zaprianov (middle distance).

Top newcomers: Fr. Brandon Simeone (sprints), Sr. Anthony Williams (pole vault, sprints, shot put).

Outlook: The Bulldogs are in a rebuilding mode, but have athletes that can compete in multiple events and the ability to field strong relay teams.

Montville

Coach: Kiah Strickland (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Dylan Horkey (distance), Sr. Charles Taylor (hurdles), So. Brady Bilheimer (hurdles, sprints), Jr. Nick James (middle distance), Sr. Brendan Duhamel (middle distance), So. Enzo Valenti (shot put).

Top newcomers: Jr. Jack Bubucis (shot put), Fr. Michael Vogt (shot put).

Outlook: Strickland returns to her alma mater to lead Montville. She will be able to lean on her seniors, particularly Horkey, who earned all-state honors in cross country, and will be able to field experience relay teams. Valenti returns in the shot and will be joined by Bubucis and Vogt to provide depth.

St. Bernard

Coach: Erica Massad (2nd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Nolan Marcille (shot put), Sr. Benjamin Wenzel (middle distance), Jr. Colin Britner (distance), Jr. Theodore Burrell (sprints), Jr. Alexander Graul (distance), Jr. Matthew Pero (jumps), So. Benjamin Syphrett (sprints), So. Savas Videll (sprints).

Top newcomers: Sr. Patrick Daley (throws), Sr. Zion Fraser (sprints), Sr. Kolby Quinn (sprints, jumps), Jr. Luke Brannegan (jumps), Jr. Martin Light (sprints, jumps), So. Cameron Cornelius (sprints), So. Benjamin Howes (sprints, middle distance), Fr. Bryan Lowe (shot put), Fr. Thomas McWilliams (distance), Fr. Maddox Roan (distance).

Outlook: The Saints have more than doubled their roster from last season, and Massad said, “now we can put more focus on scoring as a team rather than just focusing on individual performances.” St. Bernard brings back an experienced group with newcomers expected to fill some of the gaps.

Stonington

Coach: Ben Bowne (11th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Zach Anderson (shot put), Jr. Eamon Brady (shot put), Sr. Oliver Cooke (middle distance), Sr. Anders Dahl (middle distance), So. Brady deCastro (distance), Sr. Sergio DeOliveria (distance), Sr. Ryan Gruczka (distance), Jr. Ben Mahoney (sprints), Sr. Josh Mooney (sprints, jumps, hurdles, shot put), So. Landon Pelliteir (middle distance), So. Ashton Rose (shot put), Jr. Henry Sawin (distance), Jr. Cayden Tremontozzi (sprints), Jr. Matt Turrisi (sprints).

Top newcomers: So. Hagen Drake (sprints, hurdles), Fr. Jack Scully (sprints),

Outlook: The reigning ECC Division II and Class S state champions suffered some major graduation losses, but they do return Gruczka and Mooney, who each won two events in the ECC meet (Gruczka the 1,600 and 3,200 and Mooney the 55 dash and 55 hurdles) and qualified for the national meet. “There are many opportunities for new and younger athletes to step up and fill a role on a relay or in a variety of events,” said Bowne, who expects to compete at the ECC and state levels again.

Others

Grasso Tech

Coaches: Matthew Zagura, Thomas Allen

Key returnees: Reynaldo Hidalgo, Ryan Waselik.

Outlook: The Eagles will rely on a strong group of freshmen and sophomores to gain experience in time for the Connecticut Technical Conference championship meet. Grasso also hopes to qualify a number of individuals for the state meet, too.

Old Lyme

Coach: Aron D’Aquila (12th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Dylan Sheehan (shot put), So. Marco Gonzaga (55 hurdles), So. Nathan Morgan (300:, Sr. Van Lampos (55 hurdles), Sr. Harry Whitten (distance, relays), Sr. George Williams (distance, relays), Sr. Dylan Hovey (distance, relays), Jr. Eric Dagher (distrance, relays).

Top newcomers: Fr. Trevor Buydos (sprints), Fr. Christopher Kachur (shot), Fr. Chris Dagher (sprints).

Outlook: The Wildcats will be strong in the distance events, led by the returning All-Shoreline Conference 4x800-meter relay team of Whitten, Williams, Eric Dagher and Hovey, and D’Aquila is expecting big things from Sheehan in the shot put. Old Lyme’s young freshmen sprinters also show great promise.