CHS Boys Varsity CC Team Wins 4th Place At 10-28-23 Meet In Manchester

CHS BOYS VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY TEAM WINS 4TH PLACE AT THE CIAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP ON OCTOBER 28, 2023 AT MANCHESTER’S WICKHAM PARK.
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY FRANK LOGIUDICE

What a difference one year makes at the CIAC Cross Country Championships at Manchester's Wickham Park on Saturday, October 28, 2023. One year ago, it was a cold fall day and a couple of Cheshire Student-Athletes on the boys' team were wearing gloves on their hands during the race. This year it was a sunny hot day with temperatures in the 80's causing the CIAC to cancel the Class LL boys & girls race due to the extreme heat which resulted in runners collapsing and being transported to the hospital for dehydration during the Class L race. The CIAC has rescheduled the Class LL girls & boys race to Tuesday afternoon, October 31st in Manchester. At the end of the Class L Boys & Girls Race many student-athletes needed to lay down once they crossed the finish line.

Turning to the Cheshire High School Boys Varsity Cross Country Teams they won 4th place at Saturday's meet with a score of 163. CHS Quad Captain & Senior Daniel D’Souza finished #10 with a time of 17:07. Next up was Junior James Boyd he finished 31st time 18:13, Quad Captain & Senior Tyler Caron finished 32nd 18:23, Quad Captain & Senior Jack Lengyel finished 34th 18:28, Hanan Talipan-Pinedo finished 56th 19:05, Quad Captain & Senior Brian Krzanowski finished 66th 19:17 and Zach Chasen finished 109th 21:11

Head Boys Coach Pam Gunneson stated that Daniel D’Souza qualified for the CIAC State Open Cross Country Championships on Monday, November 6, 2023 also at Manchester’s Wickham Park. “Daniel is definitely going,” stated Gunneson. At the conclusion of the Class LL races on Tuesday the decision will be made to see if any more teams qualify for the state open meet on Monday, November 6, 2023. There are still reasons to be optimistic & hopeful. Gunneson commented, ¨When those two races have been completed we will find out if anyone else will be going to the Open besides Daniel D'Souza. The girls and the boys have a good shot to go!¨

She was pleased with her team’s 4th place finish on Saturday. “I’m thrilled. They gave everything they had. They should be proud. They did their best,” commented Gunneson.

The next event for the CHS Varsity Boys Cross Country might be the CIAC State Open Cross Country Championships on Monday, November 6, 2023 also at Manchester’s Wickham Park. Race Time: For Girls: 2 p.m. For Boys: 2:45 p.m.

Just by looking at the expressions on each of the student-athletes' faces during the race as they were coming in at the finish line you could tell it was an extremely hot day. And it was.