By Michael Letendre
The postseason for the Bristol Central boys cross country squad in 2010 was the most successful ever in program history.
Armed with an undefeated regular season ledger, the Rams hit the CCC Championship meet from Wickham Park on October 20 as the overwhelming favorite to win the CCC South race.
Plainville and Berlin had good teams that season but those programs weren’t in the same class as Central was.
And the CCC South meet wasn’t even close as Central (15 points) swept the event in Manchester.
The Rams easily won the event over runner-up Plainville (70) by taking the top six spots in the fray.
And that meant those six athletes from Central earned CCC South all-conference honors.
Connor Kelley won the race in 16:38.35 while Mike Duprey (16:48.25) was the runner-up.
To round out the top six were Jacob Eschner (third, 16:49), Jake Mancini (fourth, 17:44.06), Ethan Washburn (fifth, 17:45), and Spencer Johnson (sixth, 18:00.69) who all helped the Rams win big.
Overall, Kelley, Duprey, and Eschner took fourth through sixth place when combining all the CCC school’s race times which was an impressive feat.
Berlin (96 points) came in third place in the CCC South standings, Middletown (110) was fourth while Bristol Eastern (117) seized fifth
Those results propelled Central to 16-0 overall for the season and left the program with an undefeated 14-0 mark over CCC South confrontations.
Heading into the championship race, the Fleet First State Boys Cross Country Poll had Central ranked seventh overall but the squad had some major competition in the Class L showcase.
Darien was ranked eighth in the state while New Milford was hanging around the top-10 as well.
Pomperaug wasn’t far behind while Daniel Hand and Edwin O. Smith were outsiders looking in the Class L picture.
And it was back to Wickham Park on October 30 for the Class L championship event.
Behind an outstanding effort, Central had four of its runners place in the top-14 but the ultimate result was still hanging in the balance – even with those strong finishes as that final, fifth runner would determine the fate of the Rams’ championship aspirations.
“That win was honestly the most amazing day for me as a coach but it was also very stressful,” said Central head coach Tamara Stafford-Kirk. “Cross country isn’t a sport where you know the score right away! For some reason, it took over 30 minutes for them to announce the official score. I was pretty sure we had done it but that was based solely on what I saw. It is so hard to add scores for several teams in such a big race. I consider myself pretty good at math but when I’m in the heat of a cross country race or track meet, my ability to add completely disappears. We were watching Pomperaug, Darien, and Hand but also had to keep an eye on E.O. Smith and New Milford. When they finally announced that we had won, I just broke down. It was a long road and a lot of hard work and hours put in but mostly, I kept thinking of my boys and how far they had come. They won that title by 15 points! No one could overlook Bristol Central cross country anymore!”
And when Mancini crossed the finish line 17:36, taking 32nd place, it iced the victory for the Rams.
Duprey was the top finisher for Central, coming in sixth place (16:43), Eschner took ninth (16:54) while Kelley came in tenth (17:07) over a tremendous top-10 showing.
Washburn was the fourth finisher from Central to cross the line, clocking in at 17:14.
It was a rewarding way to cap the season and Central’s 16-0 ledger, and the Class L title that followed, proved the Rams were one of the best programs in the state.
Finally at the State Open on November 6, a showdown that the Rams got to run as a team, not just as individuals, Central more than held its own by placing ninth overall.
Duprey placed 19th in 16:42 while Eschner came in 25th (16:54).
Central had a dream season and the Rams were able to hang a new banner in their gymnasium – a showcase piece that every team strives for.
“We knew we could do it but we also knew we had to perform on that day,” said Stafford-Kirk of the Class L title. “It was a culmination of years of training, mentally and physically that won that championship. And it was brothers supporting brothers. Connor Kelley was our number one guy all along and woke up that morning congested so Mike took the lead that day. Jacob Eschner was our rock but didn’t get out to a great start so Ethan Washburn stepped up and was in front of Jacob at the mile mark. I remember yelling to Jacob that Ethan had stepped up for him and for him to use it to move up. He did. It was in so many ways a full team effort.”
That crew was built on its experience running with each other over the years and when everything clicked, a state championship followed.
And don’t forget, that senior crew of Kelley, Duprey, and Washburn were model student athletes the team rallied around.
“They were smart,” said Stafford-Kirk of her senior contingent. “Connor, Mike, and Ethan near the top of the senior class that year and the others were very strong students as well. When you can mesh undeniable talent, iron strong work ethic, and intelligence, you have the makings of a great distance runner. Put what these guys brought to the table all together and it was most definitely a recipe for success!”
