State cross country notes: Montville's Suarez, Horkey reach the Open
Oct. 31—MANCHESTER — The last time Montville High School had more than one cross country runner qualify for the State Open in cross country was 1991.
Current boys' and girls' head coach Steve LaBranche was one of them, joined that season by Rebekah Dahlborg.
On Saturday, Maya Suarez and Dylan Horkey formed the newest tandem.
Suarez finished fifth in the Class SS girls' race in 21 minutes, 16 seconds, and Horkey was sixth in the SS boys' race in 17:37. Both qualified for Friday's State Open, with Suarez making her second appearance and Horkey breaking a 20-year drought for the Montville boys.
Montville won ECC Divison III titles on both the boys' and girls' sides Oct. 21, resulting in LaBranche dying his hair orange and agreeing to a pie in the face.
"It's ironic that you look back historically, Mady Whittaker, that was the last time we won (an ECC division) title with the girls and she finished second that year (2018)," LaBranche said. "It's, like, mirroring where Maya got second this year (in the ECC) and the girls won the division title.
"When (Whittaker) left, then came Maya to continue the development, which has been very, very helpful."
The pull to cross country is about more than running. The Montville teams under LaBranche always seem ready for an adventure, from moonlight runs to trips to amusement parks and ropes courses.
"It's really fun," Horkey said. "This is the most fun I've ever had in any high school activity. We do a whole bunch of stuff. It's been amazing."
LaBranche said the coach of the town's middle school said that several runners at that level are interested in competing in high school.
"Honestly, I think that has a lot to do with not just Maya but Dylan Horkey, he's also a senior and he (was) shooting for all-state today as well," LaBranche said.
"One of the things I try to emphasize is we're here to run. OK. But I really want to create long-lasting positive forever memories because no one remembers the workouts, they don't want to remember the workouts. I do want them 20 years from now to say, 'Remember when coach did this, we did this, we did this?' I'm throwing as much as I can at these kids."
The ECC champs
ECC individual champions Ryan Gruczka of Stonington and Avery Maiese of Waterford both qualified for the State Open for the first time in their careers.
Gruczka, a senior, was second in Class SS on Saturday in 16:41, trailing Suffield's Griffin Mandirola (16:01). Mandirola was last year's Class M champion and went on to finish 17th at the State Open. Maiese, a sophomore in her first season of cross country, was eighth in Class M in 20:37 in her first time competing at Wickham Park.
Gruczka did not finish the state meet last year. Maiese was playing soccer.
"I knew (Mandirola) last year. He was strong in indoor (track), too. I knew I was racing him. I was just going to run my own race, just do my thing," Gruczka said. "I knew he was going to be really good. I was like, 'All right, if I have a really good day and he has a really bad day or something, I could be with him.'"
Gruczka has run several State Opens in track, finishing third in the 1,000 last indoor season and eighth in the mile during the spring.
"I never qualified for Opens in cross country which is kind of crazy," he said. "I'm excited for it. It's kind of not like track. It's going to be fun to run literally with all the distance guys in one big race."
State Open debut Part II
Bacon Academy senior Ryan Moores, who finished 18th in Class M last year in 18:12, mistakenly thought he had qualified for the State Open last year — the top 12 in each division earn automatic bids — and was disappointed to find out he had not.
Saturday he easily qualified by finishing third in Class M in 16:58.
"I'm definitely more happy with the place than with the time," said Moores, who ran a 16:53 on the course during the Wickham Invitational this season. "But based on how everyone did and how I felt, I'm happy. There's nothing wrong with preserving a little for next Friday. I can't really complain."
Triple threat
Griswold's Michael Strain, one of a set of triplets who have run for the Wolverines since their freshman season, was somewhat disappointed with his sixth-place finish at the ECC meet after finishing second last year.
He used that to fuel him during the Class SS meet, finishing third and, along with brothers Lucas and Jacob, helping to lift Griswold to the first state championship of his career.
"We talked after (ECCs). He wasn't happy with his performance," Griswold coach Kelsey Tobler said. "I told him 'Your focus is on states.'"
Strain credited the runners who beat him at the ECC meet, however, for their improvement.
"Everyone did get better," he said. "Overall, a lot of guys got faster. The ECC is definitely a conference to beat this year. Last year I was second, but I was OK with it. I want to be pushed so I can get better."
