Stratford Boys Cross Country Team Reached New Heights In ‘Special Season’

STRATFORD, CT — After reaching new heights as a program this past season, the runners on the Stratford boys cross country team are already setting loftier goals for next year.

The Red Devils posted the best record in program history, finishing 11-2 in the regular season and placing fifth in the South-West Conference Championship.

Stratford also had two athletes, juniors Dyllan Asuncion and Zackary O'Toole, earn All-State honors.

“I'm very happy with how the season went and beyond proud of the boys for their success and hard work,” Stratford boys cross country coach Hailey Kobza said. “I'm eager to watch their continued growth, as this is a team with no seniors, so everyone will be back next year. I'm most proud of how these boys carry themselves. They are driven, compassionate, and great teammates to each other.”

This was Kobza’s first season coaching cross country. She previously coached girls soccer in the fall.

“However, I also coach boys' outdoor track and field, so I had coached almost all of these boys in the spring and knew that they had immense talent and a strong work ethic,” she said. “Their previous coach, Maurice Scioletti, did an amazing job shaping them into strong distance runners and preparing them for the griddiness of cross-country running.”

Asuncion paced the Red Devils at the SWC Championships, finishing in second place with a time of 16:54.9 and O’Toole placed fourth in 17:03.1. Both Asuncion and O’Toole were named first-team SWC All-Conference – the first time the program had two athletes on the All-SWC team – and they also made the SWC All-Conference Academic Team.

Peter Carmody finished in 27th place at the SWC Championships, and was followed by teammates Ryan DeVeaux, 43rd, Keeson Alonso, 67th, Kevin Hughes, 79th, and Paul Ramirez, 84th.

O’Toole and Asuncion both finished in the top 10 at the Class L championships at Wickham Park. O’Toole placed sixth in 16:26.31 and Asuncion was ninth in 16:39.06. They both qualified for the State Open – another first for the Stratford program.

At the State Open, O’Toole finished in 19th place with a time of 16:26.48 and Asuncion placed 41st in 16:49.81. With his top 25 finish, O’Toole became the first Stratford High School runner to qualify for the New England Cross Country Championship.

At the New England Championships at Thetford, Vermont, O’Toole finished 49th out of 253 runners with a time of 17:26.41 and was one of only two underclassman runners from Connecticut to place in the top 100.

“It was a very special season, and I am incredibly proud of all of them and even more excited to coach them for a few more seasons ahead,” Kobza said. “I think for our student-athletes, this season opened their eyes to how talented they all are, and they have really bought into a champion's mindset. They push each other and already have their eyes on some big goals for next season.”