New Milford Green Wave Continue SWC XC Domination

On Tuesday October 3rd the Stratford High School Boys Cross Country team headed north to Brookfield to square off against the Bobcats, the Immaculate Mustangs, and the New Milford Green Wave in week four of South West Conference 5K action.

The course is arguably the toughest course in the league boasting a very rugged terrain, tight running trails with layered exposed tree roots, and natural ground erosion. To add to the runner’s struggles are the hills which take you through the outskirts of Williams Park and a stroll through the land of Gurski Farm open space.

The weather this afternoon was sunshine filled skies, treetops starting to show autumnal signs of changing colors, temperatures in the mid 70’s, virtually no wind, but soaking ground conditions from the past weekend’s heavy rains which created very muddy areas and many locations of treacherous footing.

Once again a strong turnout to take in the action was on hand, many to support the Green Wave lineup as they continued their winning ways in the South West conference and many Brookfield onlookers as they hosted their only home meet of the season and it was their senior night.

Each senior from all four teams were honored prior to the start of the race.

Brookfield Coach Mr Ed Butt sounded the opening bell and the race was on.

As expected three Green Wave runners jumped at the start. Ben Schipul, who is listed as a top 25 in the CIAC cross country runners to watch along with Colin Walsh, and Benjamin Daniels leading the charge going into the one quarter mile mark.

Immaculate’s Lorenzo Lopes also was in the mix followed by Brookfield’s Landon Wall keeping the opening moments interesting.

New Milford’s Caleb Cerra and Brookfield’s Evan Belles were two seconds behind Wall followed by Aiden Padros.

Brookfield’s Ryan Scelia and Immaculate’s Hunter Brown rounded out the top ten.

Stratford’s top runner, Dyllan Asuncion, was within range of the top ten for over two miles of the race but Brookfield’s Ryan O’keefe and Brown used their experience to their advantage to catch the next gear as the race was in the half mile to go mark.

All the attention now centered around the finish line as four runners were trading strides in a survival of the fittest with Walsh, Schipul, Lopes, and Wall going toe to toe, shoulder to shoulder, and neck and neck with just three hundred feet remaining.

With the roar of the crowd behind each runner it became a three way anticipated photo finish between Walsh, Lopes, and Schipul.

It would stay that way with just a few feet remaining.

In the end it was Schipul bursting through in a classic with a time of 18:00, Immaculate’s Lopes at 18:00.3, and Walsh in at 18:01. Daniel’s was fourth at 18:03.

Wall was fifth at 18:07, Cerra sixth at 18:48, Belles was seventh at 19:05, and in eighth was Padros at 19:09.

With Padros’s finish he gave the Green Wave a meet sweep keeping the Green Wave the team to beat in the SWC.
In ninth was Scelia at 19:29, and rounding out the top ten was Brown at 19:37.

O’keefe passed Asuncion to finish eleventh at 19:48 and Asuncion was twelfth at 20:03.

The remaining Stratford finishers were Kent Taylor at 24:40, Max Lilya at 26:03, Jace Taylor at 26:41, Jose Mora at 28:14, and Papa Insaidoo in at 46:29.

Dante Dawes was a last minute scratch due to a lower body injury.

The final scores saw Brookfield over Stratford 16-47, New Milford over Stratford 15-48, Immaculate over Stratford 18-43, New Milford 18 Brookfield 37, Brookfield 23 Immaculate 33, and New Milford 19 Immaculate 37.

Up next for Stratford, at New Fairfield, on Tuesday October 10th, 4:30 against the Rebels, and the Bethel Wildcats.