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It’s never easy to lose that leader of the pack. Especially in a sport like cross-country where that leader is truly in front of the remainder of the team for both practice sessions and meets.
Such was the case with Ethan Aspiras. “People talk about him, at least, every other day,” said senior Seamus Lippy. “He always told us to work hard, do everything, and don’t be afraid to talk to one another and be a good teammate.”
Aspiras rose through the ranks and as a junior reached the pinnacle, winning the ECC individual title.
He led the team again in 2020 in a much different way.
He and the Centaurs as a whole had little in the way of competition among the local teams they ran against and there were no state or regional competitions to take part in.
That will change this year. If all goes according to plan, the Centaurs will again be running schools of their size in the ECC and both the state and New England championships will return.
“We ran on like three courses over the whole season last year. A lot of cross-country is the courses. It’s a lot of the fun. Most every meet is different,” Lippy said.
That variety returns in 2021. E. Lyme, Fitch and NFA back on the schedule. But the Centaurs will not entirely lose the local flavor.
“(Woodstock Academy athletic director) Sean (Saucier) did a fabulous job. I don’t know how he did it but we have meets with Griswold, Montville, and Plainfield along with those bigger teams,” said Woodstock Academy coach Pete Lusa.
The meets against the local schools will generally take place in a tri-meet and it will give the Centaurs something to shoot for in addition to an upset victory over one of their ECC Div. I schools.
The Centaurs meet with E. Lyme will include Stonington and Windham. Plainfield is scheduled to join the Centaurs versus Fitch and Griswold will be involved in the showdown with NFA.
The Centaurs will also run invitationals such as the Wickham Park and Ocean State. The Wickham Park Invite is used by many as a strategy session for the state championship races which will follow later on the same course in S. Windsor. “You made your move here in the Invitational, are you going to do it earlier or later (at States)?” Lusa said of the importance of the Wickham Invite. “It’s not a football field. We haven’t run there in two years. They aren’t going to remember what the course is like."
Ian Hoffman, who has been doing outdoor track where he displayed leadership skills, is out for cross-country for a first time, joining the likes of Lippy.
Lippy said he has been working hard during the offseason, putting in some 400 miles this past summer. “It may or may not be realistic, but I’m trying to get below 18 (minutes) by the end of the season. Right now, I’m at 19:30-ish. It’s a lot,” Lippy said of the personal goal. But he points out that he started out his sophomore year in the 23-24 minute range and got it down to 21 ½. He shaved off two more minutes last season.
Lusa will also rely on Vince Bastura to be a part of the lead pack. “We have to build experience and do so while running against East Lyme and Fitch. Last year was nice, but now we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. We just want to keep everyone healthy and looking toward what they can accomplish this season and what can we do next year. We have a bunch of juniors returning and only a few seniors so it’s rebuilding in that sense but also a re-focus. Where are you now? Where do you want to be next year?” Lusa said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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