The Woodstock Academy girls’ cross-country team opened its dual season with a pair of wins Sept. 11 in Ledyard.
The Centaurs downed host Ledyard 24-35 and Killingly 15-50.
“It’s a good way to begin,” said first-year girls coach Joe Banas.
The boys’ team had mixed results as it lost to the host Colonels 26-30, but also handed the Redmen a 19-42 loss.
The Centaurs girls got the expected, a 1-2 finish.
Freshman Linsey Arends crossed the line first in 21 minutes, 4 seconds followed closely behind by sophomore teammate Stella DiPippo 11 seconds later.
The win was important for the freshman who had just encountered a little adversity the weekend before at the Haddad Windham Invitational.
There she took a wrong turn and it cost her a top-five finish in the event. She settled for seventh but was not very happy afterwards.
“She was still until the beginning of the race (in Ledyard). It was not going to go away until a victory came her way,” Banas said.
She didn’t have to wait long.
Three Ledyard runners followed DiPippo across the line.
But the meet was won shortly thereafter when Shannon D’Alessandro, Julia Theriaque and Aria Gianfriddo crossed the line about 2 ½ minutes after their front-running teammates.
“I stressed to them again that I wanted to get that pack a little closer because if we’re really going to be a serious contender that’s a must,” Banas said.
Banas didn’t feel everyone had their best effort.
A few of the girls were off their pace a bit, but Banas considered it a pretty “unusual” day for early September.
The heat and humidity were cranking and they weren’t the only challenges that Mother Nature threw at the runners.
“There were bugs everywhere,” Banas said. “There were as many bugs (gnats) as I’ve ever seen and runners were getting them in their eyes.”

Aspiras wins
Sophomore Ethan Aspiras got a little confidence boost.
He came home first in the race with the Colonels and Redmen, finishing ahead of three Ledyard runners.
“He ran smart,” said boys’ cross-country coach Peter Lusa. “He ran with the guys who were right there and then we yelled at him that he had to make a move.”
Aspiras listened.
He put on a little burst and established some distance between he and two of the Ledyard runners. He ran the final loop by himself.
“Not every course will allow for that, this course was broken into parts enough that we were able to say in this part, accomplish this. He’s in shape enough to be able to do those things. Some of our other athletes were told to pick it up and catch someone and it never materialized,” Lusa said.
Junior Christian Mink, freshman Hamilton Barnes and junior Matt Roethlein finished 6-7-8 for the Centaurs. Senior Kenneth Birlin was the fifth man in 12th place.
“It was just a strange day. We expected it to be much cooler and drizzly and it was just the opposite. I think some kids just didn’t fully hydrate,” Lusa said. “We’re not fully there yet.”
The Centaurs take part in the Ocean State Invitational this weekend but don’t have another dual meet until Sept. 25 when they have a tough battle at East Lyme with the Vikings and Waterford.
East Lyme is the team to beat in both boys and girls in the Eastern Connecticut Conference.
“It’s a very good thing,” Lusa said of the week off prior to the East Lyme meet. “With this group of coaches, it’s a good thing because we’re trying to dial in workouts for kids. Not everyone did their summer running, but they did do some and we’re trying to develop them as the season goes on.”
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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