Ridgefield Runners Qualify for New England Championships

Ridgefield will be well-represented at the New England Cross Country Championships next weekend, as the girls team and a pair of boys will compete based on their outstanding showing in Friday’s State Open at Wickham Park in Manchester.

The Tiger girls placed third behind three-time State Open champion Tolland and perennial power Glastonbury. Junior Ava Kelley won an individual medal by placing 16th, while Julia Hergenrother (33rd), Rachel Maue (36th) and Olivia Gorski (42nd) also finished in the top 50 of the 181-runner field.

On the boys’ side, Gabriel Altopp finished second to Brien McMahon’s Eric Van Der Els, completing the hilly 3.1 mile course in 15:55. Ian Mickool also won a medal and qualified for New Englands with his 19th-place showing.

The top six teams and first 25 individuals at the State Open qualify for the New Englands, to be run Saturday, Nov. 14 at Thetford Academy, just outside of White River Junction, VT.

Photo credits: Tim Jensen