On Saturday, October 31st the Stratford High School Boys Cross Country team traveled to Wickham Park, the site of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class L 5K Cross Country Championships.
In the neighborhood of 4,000 on hand on a glorious autumn afternoon on the grounds of the historic park set the tone for what would become a historic day in the Stratford High School sports world.
For the first time in school history, two athletes in cross country racing in the same CIAC Championship race achieved the ultimate in high school sports, All-State honors.
Zach O'Toole and Dyllan Asucion earned the honors after placing in the top 12 out of a field of 150.
The day had a total of 12 races alternating boy starts and girl starts in all Classes (S, SS, M, MM, L, and LL ) starting at 10:00 and punctually starting every hour thereafter.
Temperatures ranged from 42 degrees at 10:00 to 57 at race time for the Class L runners, abundant sunshine covered the course, with thin cirrus clouds off in the distance, an occasional light breeze circulated through the Wickham Park altitude, the tallest part being 173 feet above sea level, and the course conditions being pristine.
The course is made up of finely manicured grass sod, typical trails of wear and tear, very small sections of asphalt, wood chips, and gravel.
The main discussion between coaches and runners is always about the strategies of attacking " The Green Monster " (roughly a 30 degree angle) at around the mile and three quarter mark. It travels alongside a southern border of a tree lined trail cordoned off by rope and continues on for close to a half mile through the middle areas of the park.
All 150 runners lined up in their assigned boxes, receiving the final instructions and commands from Starter Gene Waring, he raised his arms and sounded the opening blast - the Class L race was under way.
The most important part at the beginning is getting ahead and through a choke point where all runners merge into a narrow opening.
O'Toole and Asuncion made it through and were right up there with the single digit leaders.
Stratford ran six runners on the afternoon, one runner short of the maximum of seven due to injuries.
They were assigned box 11. Joining O'Toole and Asuncion were teammates Peter Carmody (Senior), (Senior) Keeson Alonso, (Junior) Kevin Hughes, and (Sophomore) Paul Ramirez.
During the first mile the lead runners stayed in a rhythmic pack with O'Toole, Hall's Alex Martin-Casas, Wilton's Paul Sullivan, Fairfield Warde's Maximillian Mocarski, New Canaan's Charles Cavanaugh, and Simsbury's Henry Pugliese a few seconds ahead of the next pack of runners.
Included in that pack was Asuncion, Newtown's Orion Lowery (2026 SWC Champion), Cheshire's Matthew Gajecki, Fairfield Warde's Edward Kushel, Bethel's Christian Dubois, and Cheshire's Jack Mooney.
Newtown's Bryce Taylor and Sebastin Colburn in and out the top 12 at times with the race still taking shape.
With mile one completing the mile marker showed seven runners running at a 5:12 pace, only tenths of a second in separation, Martin-Casas in the lead, Mocarski second, Sullivan in third,.
Right there with them was Pugliese, Kushel, Lowery, and Gajecki.
In eighth was O'Toole at a 5:13 pace. Asuncion also at a 5:13. 90 pace.
Mooney and Dubois at a 5:16 pace.
Cavanaugh at a 5:29 pace.
Mile two saw O'Toole make his move, he would pass by all seven runners ahead of him with a pace of 5:33.
Asuncion slightly faded but remained in contention for the top 12 with a 6:30 second mile pace.
In between Martin-Casas was in second with a 5:37 pace.
Running neck and neck for third was Mocarski with a 5:42 pace and Sullivan also at a 5:42 pace.
In fifth, with a strong push at a 5:26 pace was Cavanaugh.
Pugliese in sixth with a 5:59 second mile.
In seventh, Kushel - a 6:04 second mile, eighth Lowery also a 6:04 mile.
Gajecki running ninth at a 6:14 second mile.
In 10th, Mooney with a 6:10 second mile.
Dubois in eleventh with a 6:23 second mile.
Asuncsion holding down 12th.
With the race now winding down O'Toole was holding onto a three second lead over a hard charging Martin-Casas took the crown as the 2026 CIAC Class L Champion in a time of 16:02. It was O'Toole's personal best time on this course. O'Toole's third mile was 5:13.
Martin-Casas (16:02), second place also had a 5:13 third mile. It was also his best time of this course.
The race for third was a dandy with Mocarski and Sullivan battling it out right to the finish line.
Race Director Thom Jacobs had to go to the foot pad timing and video to make it official.
The judgment became clear with Mocarski getting the call in third with a time of 16:07.31.
Sullivan in fourth at 16:07.45.
In fifth, at 16:13, was Cavanaugh. Pugliese took sixth at 16:24.
The seventh place finish was also a challenge between Lowery and Kushel.
Lowery in an all out sprint, what later turned out to be a 5:12 third mile, came up just short of Kushel. Kushel came in at 16:33.29
Lowery in eighth at 16:33.99.
In ninth was Gajecki at 16:39. Mooney in tenth at 16:43.
In 11th was Dubois at 16:56. Dubois pulled ahead of Asuncion in the race's last 50 yards.
Asuncion in 12th at 16:57. Right after crossing the finish line an exhausted Asuncion immediately turned his attention to his remaining teammates.
For the first time in many years, Stratford had a chance to come in the top half of the 21 schools with complete teams.
His teammates would not disappoint.
Carmody came in at 17:58, Ramirez came in at 18:08 - his best time in his short career, Alonso with his best time ever 19:36.3, and Hughes with his best time ever at 19:36.7.
After the team totals were tallied, Stratford came in seventh with 204 points.
Up next for Stratford, O'Toole and Asuncion advance to the 2026 CIAC State Open Race on Friday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m., once again at Wickham Park.
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