Both Town High Schools Shine at SWC XC Championships

On Wednesday October 21st, the Southwest Conference presented the 2026 Cross Country Championships on the grounds of Bethel High School, at the historic Mark Goodwin cross country course.

All sixteen schools would put its best runners, seven maximum, the most allowed by rule, into the varsity race.

A boisterous crowd, several equipped with cow bells, lined the course to cheer on their favorite schools

The weather conditions provided another ideal afternoon with temperatures in the brisk 50’s, partly sunny, with a northwest wind, and adding to the scenery were the backgrounds of forestry with their leaves nearing peak autumn colors.

The course conditions were supreme with its multi-surfaced stadium turf at the start, turning into natural grass leading to a gravel trail, followed by pathways of asphalt, along with a terrain of changing ground angles. All of which lead up to a one-half mile long steep hill known by many as " The Beast" at nearly the mile and three quarter mark.

The course is known as the toughest in the league.

Bunnell was positioned in box number thirteen and Stratford was in box eleven.

The girls were up first.

Head race official Gene Waring sounded the opening blast and the 2026 SWC Championship race was underway.

The key to the race is to get out in front of the field of seventy-nine as it funnels its way into a narrow opening in the first one-quarter mile. Those that get caught in the merging slow down at the opening will have a hard time getting back with the leaders.

Getting out in front were four runners each from different schools but very tight going into the narrow opening with a left turn.

New Fairfield’s Lilly Fellone (Senior), Bethel’s Amina Macchiarulo (Junior), Weston’s Maisie Rosengarten (Senior), and Joel Barlow’s Kate Duggan (Sophomore) were the leading the field and heading into the back stretch in the early going.

By the time they got to mile one Duggan was leading the way with Rosengarten, Fellone, and Macchiarulo a few seconds off the pace.

Following the lead pack were three from Pomperaug Hailie Mann, Sadie Ferraiolo, and Alexandra Mariani. Sprinkled in this group were Joel Barlow’s Clara Mehner and Masuk’s Abigail Cappola.

Rounding out the top ten Immaculate’s Clare Barnes.

Occasionally popping into the top ten New Milford’s Ashlyn Frinder.

Duggan established the top spot with the race entering the mile and a half mark and closing in on “The Beast”.

Macchiarulo and Rosengarten battling it out for second and third. Fellone all alone in fourth.

Mariani in fifth and teammate Ferraiolo in sixth.

Mehner in seventh. Cappola in eighth. Mann in ninth.

Still too close to call between Frinder and Barnes for tenth and eleventh.

In team scoring, as the race’s attention turned towards “The Beast”, Pomperaug had five in the top twenty showing with Newtown trailing but within range.

Bunnell’s Peyton Biggs (Sophomore), enjoying a stellar second year in the league, got caught up in a tough merging area earlier in the race trying to gain ground moving from the thirty-six spot into the twenty-eighth spot.

Back to the top Duggan opened up a nine second lead with less than a mile remaining.

The race for third was between Rosengarten and Macchiarulo now opening up their strides.

Fellone (20:51) had a strong hold on fourth, Mariani (21:17) in fifth, Ferraiolo (21:22) in sixth, Mehner (21:24) in seventh, Cappola (21:40) in eighth, Mann (21:43) in ninth.

Barnes (21:51) was able to escape Frinder (21:53) for tenth.

Sealing up the 2026 SWC Girls Team Championship for Pomperaug was Giana Fernandez at 22:18 and Kallie Carrol at 22:52.

For Bunnell, Biggs finished with a time of 23:25, Abbi Forcier at 26:49, and Haneeya Gbadamassi at 27:01.

Up next were the boys, each team settled into their respective boxes and once again Head official Gene Waring gave the final instructions and sounded the opening blast and the 2026 SWC Boys Championship race was underway with a field of one hundred.

During the opening mile it was quite the cluster of runners up front.

Stratford’s Zach O’Toole and Dyllan Asuncion along with Joel Barlow’s Max Mehner, Bunnell’s Andrew Rehm, Newtown’s Orion Lowery, Newtown’s Brice Taylor, Pomperaug’s Milo Howley and Robert Piccirillo, along with Bethel’s Christian Dubois and Immaculate’s Christian Fappiano led the charge at a pace of 5:10.

Not too far behind and certainly within striking distance, at a pace of 5:12, were Bethel’s Christopher Kim, Pomperaug’s Kyle Wiebke, and the Newtown trio of Duncan Kolb, Marc Caratus, and Bryce Taylor.

A quick scan in team scoring showed Pomperaug and Newtown certainly involved in a nail biter.

With the race rattling around the northern loops of the course it was still anyone’s race with runners coming back to head along the back trail before heading up “ The Beast”.

Going up “ The Beast “ and towards the southern part of the campus course is where Lowery made his move to jump into the lead followed by O’Toole and Asuncion.

Piccirillo and Howley running four and five.

Rehm holding on in sixth just ahead of Mehner in seventh.

DuBois and Fappiano in eighth and ninth.

Rounding out the top ten was Wiebke giving Pomperaug three in the top ten.

But the next three runners were from Newtown in the form of Taylor, Kolb, and Caratas.

This is where it got interesting as the low point scoring system wins shows the all important fifth runner finishing between Pomperaug and Newtown could decide the championship.

At the finish line Lowery cruised in at 16:21 and was crowned the 2026 Champion.

In second, O’Toole at 16:29 and in third Asuncion at 16:51.

Piccirillo (16:57) was fifth, Howley (16:58).

Rehm took sixth at 17:03. In seventh Mehner at 17:04. In eighth Dubois at 17:08. In ninth Fappiano at 17:11.

Rounding out the top ten Wiebke at 17:15.

The tension was building up between the Pomperaug and Newtown faithful for the team championship. Pomperaug holding a slim 32-37 lead. All eyes were clearly focused on that fifth runner from either team.

Newtown’s Sebastian Colbern (17:30) emerged up the narrow pathway leading to the track and finish line clinching the 2026 Championship for the Newtown Nighthawks by a final score of 52-55.

In third place, the surprising Stratford Red Devils thanks to the efforts of Senior Peter Carmody (17:46) his career best, (Sophomore) Paul Ramirez (18:14) his career best, and Senior Keeson Alonso (19:37) his career best.

The remaining Stratford finishers were Junior Kevin Hughes (20:00), his career best, and Sophomore Nathan Wong (20:34) his career best.

The remaining Bunnell finishers were Blake Staffey at 18:24, his personal best. Alden Clarke came in at 19:12 and Holden Adams 23:23.

Up next for Bunnell, the 2026 CIAC Class MM Championships, 1:15pm, on Saturday October 31st at Wickham Park in Manchester.

Up next for Stratford, the 2026 CIAC Class L Championships, 2:20pm, on Saturday October 31st at Wickham Park in Manchester.