Hale-Ray freshman Ashley Brining isn’t here to play games, folks. She snagged the Class S girls cross country crown on Saturday, flying through Wickham Park with a 19:19.3 finish and making good on a promise she apparently made to herself years ago. This wasn’t just a victory; it was a statement from an athlete who knows exactly how good she is.
Brining’s Unshakeable Confidence and Lyme-Old Lyme’s Historic Win
Forget freshman jitters. Brining came into Saturday’s Class S race with serious experience on the Wickham Park course, already holding the middle school record there. She’s been a standout for years, telling reporters, “I know that I’m a really good runner. I won states in seventh grade, and I was a really good runner in eighth grade, too, so I knew that I could do it.” That’s the kind of self-belief that wins championships. Her goal was the Class S title, and she delivered, even if 19:19.3 wasn’t a personal best. The win was the mission, and she accomplished it. What’s next for Brining? She’s already got her eyes on bigger stages, looking forward to future races like the New England championship. She’s putting “everything into it,” and frankly, the league needs to be ready.
But Brining wasn’t the only story rocking Class S. In a nail-biting, big-time team battle, Lyme-Old Lyme pulled off a massive win, defeating Shepaug 49-51 to claim the first state championship in program history! Can you believe that? The Wildcats earned this by placing their top five runners in second, third, eighth, 14th, and 22nd. Shepaug fought hard, with their scorers finishing first, ninth, 10th, 12th, and 19th, but it wasn’t enough to stop Lyme-Old Lyme from making history. That’s a legacy-defining moment for that program, no doubt.
Other Champs Crowned Across the Classes
The day saw plenty of other incredible performances at Wickham Park, too. In the Class SS race, Oxford junior Callie DeLuise absolutely crushed it, coming from second early on to take the lead past the halfway mark and cruise to a personal-best win in 18:49.1. Rebecca Langlais of Tolland took second in 19:04.5. DeLuise described a mid-race surge, saying, “Suddenly, I felt really good and I decided to just kick to the end and see how I could do.” Talk about seizing the moment! Haddam-Killingworth’s Charlotte Behnke and Alyssa Behnke finished third and fourth, respectively.
Over in Class M, Mercy junior Cora Wasiolek powered to a victory, clocking in at 18:58.6. She held off Edith Edie Ranta of RHAM, who finished second in 19:12.5. Wasiolek’s strategy was to stay with the leaders, then make her move. “Going down to the woods is where I made my first burst, right after mile one. Then I just wanted to keep it the rest of the way,” she explained. Mercy didn’t just get an individual win; they dominated the team title with a score of 26, absolutely blowing past Hand’s 106 points. Mercy secured that win with Alyson Low in fifth and Addison Akier in sixth, showing incredible depth. Harper Vanacore of Sheehan and Charlotte Kenney of Branford rounded out the top four individuals.
Saturday was a showcase of pure grit and talent. With athletes like Brining already looking past states and teams like Lyme-Old Lyme making program history, the future of cross country is looking ridiculously bright. You’ve got to wonder what these stars will accomplish next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply