By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp
Fall represents the start of a new school year, high hopes and a clean slate. After a summer of training, cross country athletes come into the season with eternal optimism with goals of setting big personal records, making varsity or even achieving honors in one of the championship meets at the conference or state level. For the 26th year, MySportsResults will be offering free coverage with interviews, race videos and pictures of the meets throughout the year. But first let’s take a look at who the top girls this cross country season might be as we head down the course towards solving the puzzle of October’s championship meets.
Chase Gilbert – Lyme-Old Lyme, (SR) (Class S)
Gilbert burst onto the scene as a freshman, winning the Shoreline Conference and Class S titles along with taking third at the State Open. After winning her first State Open title in the 3200m in spring track, her sophomore year, she repeated as Class S champion. But an injury prevented her from running the XC Open and indoor track that year but she bounced back to run a 4:50 1600m to finish both at the Open and New Englands during outdoor track.
Last year as a junior she was once again at the front of the pack, taking 3rd at the Open and 2nd at New Englands. She also earned her first trip to Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego. Her track performances were even more impressive: she defeated future NBNI National mile champion Brooke Strauss at the State Open, breaking the state record in the 1600m, and followed that with a New England championship in the event. During the outdoor season we saw more of the same as the junior went under 4:50 for the mile/1600m three times and won New Englands in the event and the State Open 3200m race. Gilbert has undeniably earned the title of favorite.
Lauren Parrett – Glastonbury, (SO) (Class LL)
Almost every year a freshman girl bursts onto the scene and makes an immediate impact. Last year there were two girls who surprised everyone and finished in the top ten at the State Open. The first one, Lauren Parrett helped her team to win the State Open with a 5th place finish and a top ten finish at New Englands. During indoor track, her teammate, Brooke Strauss, paced her to the Class LL title in the 3200m and then she came back the following week to win the Open on her own and followed that up with a third place finish at New Englands. She continued on her successful…
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