Country School Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams Sweep State Championship with Dominating Performances

The Country School boys and girls cross country teams proved once again why they are the strongest among Connecticut’s small public and private schools, capping an impressive season with a sweeping victory at the state cross-country championship meet on Saturday, November 2. Both teams left their competition in the dust, clinching the top trophies and making state history with their first-ever double team championship.

The girls team triumphed for their third consecutive state title, extending a four-year unbeaten streak in dual meets. Their performance was exceptional, as they scored 24 points against 2nd place Nathan Hale-Ray’s 50 points and 3rd place Foote School’s 71 points to seize the title from among all the competing schools. 

The boys, who had narrowly missed winning in recent years, took the championship with 48 points, finishing ahead of 2nd place Foote School (68 points) and 3rd place Bolton Center (81 points) to capture the top laurels from all the state schools over the 2.3 mile course in Manchester.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this team,” said coach Will McDonough. “Even when the race got tough, the hills felt big, and their legs were heavy with lactic acid, each of them dug deep and ran for one another. That’s the most beautiful thing about cross country running: you are never alone out there.”

The girls team’s strength came from a pack running strategy that saw them take second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh places in the competition. Leading the charge was Captain Tillie Killam, who finished second with a time of 15:29, followed closely by her sixth-grade sister, Liv Killam, who clocked in at 15:35. Eighth-grade Captain Maribel Smith took fifth place with a time of 15:51, while emerging sixth-grade standout Lucy Clark finished sixth in 15:54. Veronica Schmid and Quinn Freeman, who both play varsity soccer for the school, took seventh (16:13) and sixteenth (17:25) respectively. Rounding out the top seven was powerful sixth grader Emily Antman, who ran a strong 18:21.

“This team is truly amazing,” said coach Adriana Castillo. “I’m so proud of how each of the runners has come together to achieve their goals as individuals and as a team. They have all shown incredible strength and pushed their limits. I know they will keep believing in themselves and the hard work they put into their training.”

The boys team was led by seventh grader Henry Laurans, who ran a stellar 14:14 to secure first place in the competition. Eighth-grade captain Zach Boure followed with a solid sixth-place finish in 14:45. Seventh grader Tash Frusztajer crossed the line in 15:14, securing tenth place. Eighth-grade captains Oliver Milligan and Kieran Freeman, running together for much of the race, came in with times of 15:40 and 15:46, sealing the team’s victory. Fifth grader Harper Merrill, who took 35th place with an impressive 16:45, shows great promise for the future of the program. Boure, Freeman and Milligan all play soccer on the varsity team.

Reflecting on the historic day, coach and head of school John Fixx remarked, “These runners are a joy to coach. Starting our running program as early as kindergarten allows us to take the long view on both their physical and personal development, as we do academically in the classrooms. We aim not only to create strong runners for today but to foster a love for the sport and for hard work that will carry into high school, college, and beyond.” 

In the boys junior varsity race, fifth graders Sam Gagliardi, Micah Benton, and Arlo McGahan tackled Wickham Park’s challenging hills, gaining valuable experience and laying the foundation for future success as they traversed the 1.7 miles of woods, trails and grass among some 300 runners. 

Meanwhile, in the girls junior varsity race, eighth-grade captains Brynn D’Aquila and Ava Kowalski and seventh graders Oakley Milligan and Jonah Benton kicked off the day’s events, showcasing the strength and depth of the program on a crisp fall day with leaves at their colorful peak. Oakley also plays strong soccer for the school varsity team.

With both teams graduating key 8th graders, next season will bring new challenges, but also new opportunities to develop younger talent. Coach Fixx says, “The support we receive from the families is outstanding, and the older students set an incredible example for the younger ones, inspiring a legacy of training and tenacity. To witness it all come together in a dual team championship is something very special.”

As Athletic Director Steve Behr summed up, “This was a season of grit, grace, and growth for our athletes. Their perseverance, unity, and passion made this double championship possible and left us all inspired. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these exceptional runners and students.”