Runners From 5 Connecticut Schools Excel In National Meet

SAN DIEGO, CA — Scholastic runners from five Connecticut secondary schools turned in admirable performances at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finals Saturday at Morley Field in Balboa Park.

Sydney Masciarelli, a junior from Marianapolis Prep in Thompson who won the 2018 event, was the top area runner, placing seventh with a time of 17 minutes, 19.4 seconds. Junior Kate Wiser of Pomperaug High School in Southbury finished ninth in 17:35.9.

On the boys' side, Matthew Farrell of Glastonbury, a senior at the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, took state honors by placing 13th. His time of 15:36.1 barely nipped Gavin Sherry of West Hartford, a sophomore at Conard High School who finished in 15:36.8. Sophomore Aidan Puffer of Manchester High School wound up 21st in 15:45.4.

The event features 40 runners each in the girls' and boys' races, determined by the top 10 finishers at regional qualifiers in the Northeast, South, Midwest and West divisions. The Northeast regional took place Nov. 30 at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, with Masciarelli finishing second and Wiser fourth for the girls, and Sherry second, Farrell sixth and Puffer seventh among the boys.

Complete results of the national finals may be found here.