Stratford's Colocho Lives Up To Projections In SWC Finals

On Wednesday October 20th, the Stratford High School Boys Cross Country team traveled to Bethel High School where the South West Conference presented the 2021 SWC Championship XC finals.

All fourteen teams sent their best to the starting line. Each team is allowed to send seven runners of which the first five do the scoring and runners six and seven can displace in the event one team dominates the top twelve in head to head competition.

The three teams to watch, in 2021, were the New Milford Green Wave, the Joel Barlow Falcons, and the Pomperaug Panthers. Each team ran away with scores against their opponents during the regular season.

The weather prediction this afternoon was for sunny skies, temperatures in the 70’s, and a gentle southerly breeze. The race time conditions were as predicted, not a cloud in the sky, and the autumn colors nearing peakness with the hills in the backdrop providing a topnotch New England afternoon.

While the day provided ideal weather conditions the runners had a different opinion of the course. The Bethel course is considered one of the toughest, if not the toughest, course in the State of Connecticut. Runners travel over multiple terrains including grass, gravel, and asphalt with numerous changing ground angles and pitches. Also on this course the famed “Beast” comes into play, a one-half mile hill at an angle of thirty-three degrees of rough and tumble terrain that challenges even the top conference runners.

Stratford sent its five best to the line with Amos Colocho leading the lineup. Colocho is now considered an elite runner in the conference. Alongside Colocho, in box number nine, were teammates Ryan Munoz, Joshua Kydes, James Bragg-Phillips, and Andrew Maldonado.

Maldonado was filling in the number five role as Marcus Cavallo was not able to make the trip due to an undisclosed injury. Maldonado attempted to gut out a nagging lower body issue in his own right.

Head race official Gene Waring gave the final race instructions and sounded the opening blast and the 2021 SWC Cross Country finals were underway.

A jammed packed crowd estimated at two thousand lined the course in numerous areas cheering on their teams and favorite runners.

In the opening moments it was a pack of New Milford Green Wave, Joel Barlow Falcons, with Pomperaug’s Owen Martin in the lead. Also Weston’s Cooper Capola mixed right in. The next group of Pomperaug not too far behind.

At the end of one mile the group started to thin out. Martin still in the top spot with New Milford’s Andrew Taborsak, Ben Schipul, and Benjamin Daniels being challenged by Joel Barlow’s Calvin Young, Alexander Czerkawski, and Ben Schmid.

Entering the picture was New Milford’s Collin Walsh. The race was starting to turn into a two team race between New Milford and Joel Barlow for the crown.

Staying in the top twenty-five was Stratford’s Colocho.

Going into the back stretch and entering the “Beast '' Walsh began his ascent to the top of the hill and to the top spot in the race as he took over the lead with Capola (Weston) in second place.

Barlow’s Young and Czerkawski grabbed third and fourth places.

Immaculate’s Seamus Reidy in fifth followed by Barlow’s Schmid.

The next three runners were from New Milford as Daniels, Taborsak, and Schipul gave the Green Wave a lead.

Keeping pace, Barlow’s Matthias Galban right behind Schipul. Both these runners in the all important fourth spot in team scoring.

The next runner from either of these teams would determine the SWC team champions.

Walsh crossed the line number one overall at 16:49. Capola in second at 17:14.

Young was third at 17:16 followed by teammate Czerkawski in fourth at 17:34.

In fifth Reidy at 17:40. Schmid took sixth at 17:42. Daniels seventh at 17:44.

In eighth Taborsak at 17:47.

The photo finish of the day was between Schipul and Galban as they traded strides to the finish line. Schipul got the nod over Galban for ninth place in a time of 17:48.07 to Galban’s 17:48.27.

Hanging in the balance was the next finisher between Joel Barlow and New Milford which would determine the champion.

Barlow’s Aidan Emanuelson had the finish line in sight with no New Milford runner around.

Emanuelson crossed the line in time of 18:06 giving the Joel Barlow Falcons the 2021 SWC championship.

The runner up, the New Milford Green Wave.

Shifting over to Stratford’s side of the race, it saw Colocho challenging New Milford’s Caleb Cerra for nineteenth overall. Colocho gained ground on Cerra going into the final turn and into the final one hundred meters. Cerra mustered up enough energy to maintain a half step lead finishing at 18:23.29. Colocho in at 18:24.40 and twentieth overall.

By finishing twentieth overall Colocho achieved an SWC Second Team All-Conference award. He became the first runner for Stratford to be named to the all conference team since Mike Petillo completed the feat in 2015.

The SWC awards first team honors to the first twelve finishers and second team honors for finishers thirteen through twenty-four.

The remaining Stratford finishers were Kydes in 20:21, Munoz in at 21:14, and Bragg-Phillips in at 22:35.

Maldonado’s attempt to finish the race fell short as he was forced to withdraw. He will be evaluated at a later time.

Raiyan Khursu came in at 35:05 and Papa Insaidoo finished in a time of 37:25.

Up next for Stratford, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference MM cross country finals at Manchester’s Wickham Park on Saturday October 30th. Race time is 10:20 am.