By Christopher DeMuth
In a display of determination, New Canaan High School’s cross country teams delivered impressive performances at the 2024 FCIAC Championships, with both squads demonstrating the strength of their program across all levels of competition. The girls’ varsity team secured a coveted podium finish with third place, while the boys’ varsity team fought their way to a respectable fifth-place finish in a highly competitive field that showcased some of Connecticut’s premier running talent.
Leading the charge for the Rams’ girls’ team was senior standout Charlotte Moor, who captured third place overall with a commanding time of 18:48. Moor’s strategic race execution proved crucial to her success, as she demonstrated both tactical awareness and competitive drive throughout the challenging course. “I definitely went out faster, first mile was in the 5:40s, maybe 5:45,” Moor explained after the race. “I was in 4th for a bit of the race but then I was able to reel one of the Staples girls in because I heard my coach and all my teammates telling me to reel her in.”
The girls’ team demonstrated impressive depth beyond their front runner, with freshman sensation Gabrielle Savelli making a remarkable statement by finishing eighth overall in 19:09. Her performance as a first-year runner suggests a bright future for both her individual career and the team’s prospects. Senior Radea Raleva rounded out the top performances with a solid 16th-place finish in 19:54, showing the kind of veteran leadership that has helped shape the team’s success this season. Evangeline Dolger (40th, 21:14) and Grace Pellicci (47th, 21:29) completed the scoring for the Rams, with both runners delivering clutch performances when it mattered most.
The depth of the girls’ program was further highlighted by the strong performances of Bridget de Kanter (21:43), Sophie Walther (22:29), and Niyathi Iyengar (22:30), who provided crucial backup to the scoring five and demonstrated the program’s strength throughout the roster.
Moor, reflecting on the season as a whole, praised the team’s development and resilience in the face of graduation losses: “I’m really proud of our team and how we are doing. We have a really young team since so many upperclassmen left last year. We’ve been working really hard in our workouts, with everyone showing up. Our coaches have been doing a great job with giving us great mileage and opportunities to race.”
The future indeed looks bright for the girls’ program, as evidenced by their junior varsity squad’s outstanding second-place finish in their race. The JV team was led by junior Julia Cereghino, who placed fifth with a time of 22:49, followed closely by junior Eliana Savelli in tenth place (23:03). The tight pack running continued with Natalia Lundberg (23:05), Alice Hanson (23:07), and Lola Gonzalez (23:08) all finishing within five seconds of each other, demonstrating the kind of depth that coaches dream about.
On the boys’ side, the varsity team showed remarkable pack running, placing five runners under 17 minutes – a feat that didn’t go unnoticed by senior team member Faizal Hussain. “This season as a whole is super positive,” Hussain remarked after finishing as the team’s fifth scorer. “Lots of really good PRs from everyone, and we all worked together as a team really. I’m glad to say we had 5 people going sub-17 in the 5k. The future of this team is looking really bright.”
Senior Ryan Boulanger led the boys’ varsity team with a strong tenth-place finish in 16:14, showcasing the kind of front-running ability that has made him a consistent force in FCIAC competition. Senior John Disturco followed with an impressive 18th-place finish in 16:31, while sophomore Charles Cavanagh continued his breakthrough season with a 21st-place finish in 16:45. Junior Ryan Monohan (30th, 16:55) and Hussain (32nd, 16:58) rounded out the scoring five, with both runners proving crucial to the team’s overall placement.
The boys’ race wasn’t without its share of drama, as Monohan faced an unexpected challenge in the final stretch. “For me, not great, I actually lost a shoe with about 1200 meters left,” he shared after the race, showing the kind of resilience that has become a hallmark of the program. “For everyone else though, huge PRs across the board. The team did great.”
Supporting the top five, Ryan Jordan (17:12) and Liam Gonzalez (17:31) delivered strong performances that provided valuable backup positions, while Spencer Paine (17:38) and David Cuenca Goddard (18:03) showed the kind of depth that bodes well for the team’s future competitions.
The depth of the boys’ program was further evidenced in the junior varsity race, where the team secured fifth place against strong competition. John Frieders led the JV squad with an impressive 18:50 performance, followed by Cormac Kilkenny (19:03) and Blake DiCapua (19:04) in a tight pack that showcased the program’s emerging talent.
Will Merrit, who competed in the JV race, offered a comprehensive view of the team’s performance: “Overall the team was good. We had a lot of guys outperform. You know, top-to-bottom varsity. You got Boulanger, JD at the top but then kids like David and Seabass had great races too.”
The championship meet, held under ideal racing conditions, saw Greenwich claim the girls’ varsity title with 74 points, followed by Staples (100) and New Canaan (114) in a closely contested team battle. In the boys’ varsity race, Ridgefield took top honors with 26 points, followed by Staples (58) and Greenwich (84), with New Canaan securing fifth place with 111 points in a field that included 16 competing schools.
The results reflect the remarkable strength of FCIAC cross country, with close competition across all divisions and depth that rivals any conference in the state. The New Canaan programs showed particular promise in their younger ranks, with strong performances in both JV races suggesting a bright future ahead.
The girls’ JV team’s second-place finish was particularly impressive, demonstrating the program’s depth with five runners finishing in the top 13 positions. This depth bodes well for the future of the program as they look to build on their varsity success and challenge for even higher positions in the coming years.
Looking ahead, both teams appear poised for strong performances at the upcoming state championships. As Charlotte Moor noted, “I’m really proud of how this season’s going and I’m hoping to continue it for states.” With the momentum from their FCIAC performances and the confidence gained from competing against some of the state’s best programs, the Rams are well-positioned for continued success.
The championship results highlight the successful rebuilding effort of New Canaan’s cross country program, particularly notable given the youth of both teams. With strong leadership from upperclassmen like Moor, Boulanger, and Hussain, combined with emerging talent in the younger ranks, the Rams have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the FCIAC and beyond.
The team’s performance at the championship meet serves as a testament to the hard work put in throughout the season, with both individual and team achievements reflecting the strong program culture being built at New Canaan High School. As the teams prepare for the state championships, they carry forward momentum and confidence from their strong FCIAC showing, ready to face the next challenge in their championship season.
