After a successful X-C season, Trumbull's Katelynn Romanchick should be battling up front this fall.
During the next few weeks, MileSplit CT will provide in-depth previews by MARTY OGDEN of all the major conferences in the state..
We begin with the Fairfield County Conference (FCIAC), which was led by last year by State Open champions and All-Americans Hannah Debalsi (Staples) and Eric van der Els (Brien McMahon). Staples and Danbury went 1-2 at the boys Open with Ridgefield and Fairfield Warde also finishing in the top ten. On the girls' side, Ridgefield and Staples went 3-4 to qualify for New England Championships and Greenwich also finished in the top 10 in the team standings.
Staples' senior Susannah Martin is among the top runners in the FCC.
FCIAC GIRLS
With the DeBalsi era over, the individual title is wide open this year. Staples' senior Susannah Martins is the top returner attempting to give the Wreckers their fourth straight individual title. She ran 5:14 for the 1,600-meter run and 11:32 for 3,200m. She also scored in the CIAC 2,000m steeplechase.
Martins will be challenged by a pair of Ridgefield runners, sophomore Kasey McGerald who is the No. 2 returner and Ava Kelley who was the top returning FCIAC finisher at the State Open. Katelynn Romanchick of Trumbull had an outstanding track season and has the top returning times in the 1,600m and ,3,200m with a 5:07 and 11:09, respectively. Gabi Galletta of Fairfield Warde, Hetty McMillan of Greenwich and cross-country newcomer Lauren Moore of Danbury had outstanding track seasons and should also be in the lead pack.Another darkhorse for the title might be Emily Philippides of Greenwich, who was run a 2:11 for 800m and is reported to join the cross-country team.
Nobody likes to be called the pre-season favorite and come into the season with a target on their backs, but with five of their top six returning, and a strong JV team, the Ridgefield girls look to be the heavy favorite. Based on last year's results, the Tigers have five of the top seven returners in the conference. This could be coach John Goetz's fifth FCIAC title in the past six years.
Other teams that are hoping for big seasons will be Wilton, led by Morgan McCormick, Greenwich, whose top returner is Genevieve DeWinter, Staples who is looking to Martins to lead the way and Fairfield Warde with Galletta up in front will hope to move up from last year's fifth-place finish.
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