With both the girls’ and boys’ cross country teams coming into FCIACS with winning seasons, 18-0 and 16-2 respectively, expectations were high for the athletes.
Though Ridgefield swept the team events, Staples showed impressive results with the girls’ team placing second and the boys’ team placing third after Darien.
Trevor Hopper ’14 of Ridgefield was the top finisher for the boys’ five kilometer race, setting a new course record, eight seconds faster than the previous record set by Henry Wynne ’13 in 2012. Oliver Hickson ’15 had Staples’ best time of the day, placing sixth overall. Hickson, Peter Elkind ’14 and Chase Gornbein ’16 all placed in the top 15, earning them their spots on the FCIAC first team.
Individually, three Lady Wreckers placed in the top 15, including Hannah DeBalsi ’16 who placed first in the four-kilometer race, setting a new course record in the process.
“Those were my goals going in, so I was pretty happy,” said Debalsi. “But I’m more excited to see what we can do as a team and what I can do individually later in the season.” Debalsi, as well as Erica Hefnaway ’15 and Elisabeth French ’15, received recognition as part of the All-FCIAC first team for girls’ cross country.
Both teams’ remarkable results bode well for their next race, the Class LL State Championships on Saturday, Oct. 26.