Bethel Sweeps in 2024 SWC XC Opener in Stratford

On Tuesday September 10th on the grounds of Wooster Middle School the South West Conference presented the host Stratford Red Devils versus the Bethel Wildcats, New Fairfield Rebels and the Notre Dame Prep Lancers in action packed high school cross country action.
The Wooster campus serves as the home course for both the boys and girls cross country teams from Stratford High School.
The course boasts a multi-surface race course as runners start off on the grass, work their way around to the pond area where they encounter crushed cinder trails, back onto the grass surface before they hit the cement sidewalks for a period of time, and eventually back onto the grass to finish the race. It has the reputation of being the fastest and flattest course in the South West Conference.
There was quite a crowd lining the course ready to take in the action and numerous curious onlookers as the grounds of Wooster were transformed into a 5K race course.

The course is marked off with flags at the turning points, free standing arrowed directional signs to assist the runners, and numerous race volunteer Marshalls to further keep the flow of runners heading to the all important finish line.
The weather conditions were termed “Glorious” with a brilliant sunshine, temperatures at 73 degrees, a very low dew point, no wind, and a deep blue sky.
Those in the SWC have their eyes on Bethel’s Evan Bureau during the 2024 season. The senior racer is ranked very high here in Connecticut and listed as a runner to watch.
For Stratford it is Sophomore Dyllan Asuncion as a runner heading in the right direction. He enjoyed quite a 2023 season.
With a year under his belt and a heavy summer training program he was ready to leave a mark in the season opener for all teams.
All four teams headed to the starting line to get the 2024 season underway.

The experienced runner puts aside any nervousness and gathers high energy with endorphins getting ready to kick in.

The inexperienced runner has to try and run like he’s done it many times before. A tall task when you're up against a field of forty.
The runners were given their final instructions, the whistle blew and the 2024 season was under way.
Bethel’s Bureau got out in front and held the lead during the first half mile with Asuncion three seconds off the pace.
Both were followed by Bethel’s Calum Binder, Stratford’s Zachery O’Toole and Bethel’s Yee-Jun Ng and Notre Dame's Brandon Bayusik.
Rounding out the top ten were Bethel’s Mateo Romero, Christian Dubois, New Fairfield’s Jacob Mattiace, and Bethel’s Seaman Knauff a short distance away.
At the front of the line, Bureau opened up an over a minute lead and got stronger heading into the mile and a half mark.
Asuncion was holding off Binder at the midway point.
The race’s biggest surprise was that of Stratford’s O’Toole. He was holding pace in the fourth spot.

Bethel’s Ng in fifth. Bayusik in control of sixth place. Romero thirty seconds off in seventh.
Battling for eighth and ninth it was Mattiace and Dubois with only a second or two separating them.
In tenth it was Knauff.

The race, now well into the second mile, saw Bethel in control of team scoring with six runners in the top ten and thirteen in the top twenty.
Back at the front it was Bureau going wire to wire with a first place finish in an astonishing time of 16:02.
The course hasn’t seen a finish like that since Mike Petillo set the course record at 15:28 back in 2015.
In second, Asuncion with a personal best of 17:57. In third, Binder at 18:04.
In his Stratford High cross country race debut, O’Tool finished fourth with a remarkable time of 18:10.
NG in fifth at 18:19, in sixth Bayusik at 18:34, in seventh Romero at 19:04, in eighth Mattiace at 19:50, in ninth Dubois at 19:52, and in tenth Knauff at 20:10.
The remaining Stratford finishers were Jose Mora at 24:03.
In their first high career races, Ryan DeVeaux at 24:48, Keeson Alonso at 25:55, Kevin Hughes at 31:15 and in his final home course race Papa Insaidoo at 35:50.
The final scores on the afternoon were Bethel with the three win sweep over Stratford 22-39, over New Fairfield 16-47 and over Notre Dame 15-50.
New Fairfield over Stratford 25-36 and over Notre Dame 15-50.
It was Stratford over Notre Dame 15-50.
Stratford starts the season at 1 and 2.
Up next for Stratford, Tuesday September 17th 5:00, at Weston against the Trojans, the always powerful New Milford Greenwave, and the Newtown Nighthawks.