MANCHESTER – Monday, it was her turn.
When Old Lyme’s Chase Gilbert was a freshman, she finished third at the State Open. Glastonbury’s Brooke Strauss won. Gilbert did not compete at the Open in her sophomore year because she was injured. Last year, she finished third behind Strauss and Conard’s Liv Sherry.
Strauss and Sherry graduated. There were newcomers from Glastonbury and Greenwich who would challenge her. But Gilbert kept her focus.
And Monday, in her last race at Wickham Park, she won the State Open title. Gilbert finished the 5,000-meter race in 17:50.08, 11 seconds off the course record of 17:39 set by Pomperaug’s Kate Wiser in the Class L championships in 2019.
It was the fourth fastest time run at Wickham Park, behind Wiser, Hannah DeBalsi of Staples (17:41, 2013) and Strauss (17:46, last year’s New England championships).
“Going into the season, you know it’s there,” said Gilbert, who will run at the University of Virginia next year. “I was close to getting it. Brooke and I were sniffing it last year. In my head, I’m trying to keep pressure as low as possible.
“My mom was like, ‘17:39 – let’s do this’ and I’m talking to my coach about it and we’re like you need to focus on your steps leading up to your race, you need to focus on the race itself and less on the outcome. While (the record) was deep in the back of my mind, it wasn’t on my mind at the starting line at all.
“I’m on a list behind three very accomplished runners and I’m very happy to be in that spot.”
The Glastonbury girls won their second straight team title 84 points. Sophomore Lauren Parrett finished third (18:08.76) behind runner-up Sophie Passalacqua of Greenwich (18:04.76), to lead the Guardians, who won their seventh State Open cross country title.
“It’s been a great season,” Glastonbury coach Brian Collins said. “They believed in their coaches and the training and they believed in each other and they believed in themselves.”
East Lyme’s Sam Leone won the boys title in 15:37.52, holding off Tycen LaBelle of Griswold (15:38.33) in a battle up the hill to the finish line. Greenwich won the team boys title (87 points) and Xavier was second with 104.
The meet was moved from Friday due to bad weather expected to affect the course. It was a little muddy and soft but not terrible, Gilbert said, and the time switch allowed her to get some more rest over the weekend.
“I knew it would be an opportunity for me to be the one in control and I was able to do that today,” she said.
Gilbert was always in the mix of top runners over the past few years but there were too many others crowding the field – the Sherrys from Conard, Katie Bohlke from Newington and Strauss, who is now running at UConn.
“I wanted to make this my year,” Gilbert said. “I felt like in the past, if you asked who the best distance runner in Connecticut was, nobody probably would have named me.
“And of course that’s because Connecticut is so stacked. I wanted to be that person this year, just being inspired by people like Brooke and the Sherrys and Katie Bohlke – I wanted to carry that on. I’m really happy I was able to win.”
Sam Leone of East Lyme holds off Griswold’s Tycen LaBelle to win the State Open cross country championship in 15:37 #ctxc pic.twitter.com/682eKwiJkD
— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) November 3, 2025
Gilbert, who won her fourth Class S championship last Saturday at Wickham, attacked the course and took the lead after the first mile.
“I have things in my head I want to accomplish in each section,” she said. “My goal was to execute that and improve on from even last week (her Class S win), places I thought I could separate myself. That’s what was going through my head. Also positive affirmation, like ‘I feel great, I can do this. Let’s make it hurt.’
“I wanted to make it pretty ruthless out there.”
Gilbert tried not to get emotional Monday. She loves the Wickham course – its difficulty, its relentless hills, its quirks.
“Leading up to the race, I knew this is my last one, but I couldn’t think about it,” she said. “Now I’m thinking about it. I love this course. Last year I felt like my best race of the year was New Englands here when I broke 18 (minutes) for the first time. I was so excited. I love this place.
“I’m grateful for the memories and lessons and times it’s brought me.”
State Open cross country championship results
Wickham Park, Manchester
Boys
Top 10 teams: 1. Greenwich, 87; 2. Xavier, 104; 3. East Lyme, 104; 4. E.O. Smith, 156; 5. Ridgefield, 191; 6. Amity, 207; 7. Fairfield Warde, 212; 8. Hall, 232; 9. New Canaan, 239; 10. Staples, 243.
Top 25 individuals: 1. Sam Leone, East Lyme, 15:37.52; 2. Tycen LaBelle, Griswold, 15:38.33; 3. Luke Cushing, Amity, 15:58.10; 4. Joseph DeLuise, Oxford, 16:04.79; 5. Julien Silva, Fitch, 16:06. 32; 6. Alexander Medina, Hamden, 16:10.97; 7. Hudson Schunk, Fairfield Warde, 16:11.23; 8. Aiden Nelson, Ridgefield, 16:11.81; 9. Ryan Newcomb, Greenwich, 16:13.15; 10. Edward Kushel, Fairfield Warde, 16:14.49; 11. Jonah Schulman, Hall, 16:16.55; 12. Alex Cook, E.O. Smith, 16:17.74; 13. Nolan O’Connor, Xavier, 16:22.01; 14. Holden Hines, Xavier, 16:22.16; 15. Jack Faitsch, East Lyme, 16:22.36; 16. Landon Wall, Brookfield, 16:24.01; 17. Dominic Lombardo, Bolton, 16:24.85; 18. Brian Smith, Rocky Hill, 16:25.52; 19. Zackary O’Toole, Stratford, 16:26.48; 20. Benjamin Schildgren, Lakeview, 16:27.25; 21. Quinn Kilkenny, New Canaan, 16:32.41; 22. Brahm Bulow, Avon, 16:32.57; 23. Alejandro Juro, Manchester, 16:33.74; 24. Emmett Kristoff, Rockville, 16:35.24; 25. Benjamin Hayes, Greenwich, 16:35.26.
Girls
Top 10 teams: 1. Glastonbury, 84; 2. New Canaan, 99; 3. Mercy, 123; 4. Greenwich, 143; 5. Haddam-Killingworth, 167; 6. East Lyme, 219; 7. Staples, 251; 8. Hand, 283; 9. Ridgefield, 303; 10. Trumbull, 310.
Top 25 inidividuals: 1. Chase Gilbert, Old Lyme, 17:50.08; 2. Sophie Passalacqua, Greenwich, 18:04.76; 3. Lauren Parrett, Glastonbury, 18:08.41; 4. Sarah Bogdan, Staples, 18:38.72; 5. Sofia Holovatska, South Windsor, 18:44.77; 6. Annecy Vlieks, Hand, 18:45.85; 7. Cora Wasiolek, Mercy, 18:52.48; 8. Sarah Roberts, Mercy, 18:55.29; 9. Hazel DeLucia, Lyman Memorial, 19:05.78; 10. Sienna DeKanter, New Canaan, 19:14.12; 11. Alexandra Morgan, Fairfield Warde, 19:14.74; 12. Rebecca Langlais, Tolland, 19:18.16; 13. Katie McMorrow, New Fairfield, 19:20.76; 14. Maya Donzella, Windsor, 19:35.92; 15. Hannah Greco, New Fairfield, 19:40.11; 16. Safaa Ahmad, Platt, 19:42.63; 17. Madelyn Mariani, Pomperaug, 19:43.15; 18. Ellie Ballard, RHAM, 19:44.76; 19. Charlotte Behnke, Haddam-Killingworth, 19:45.71; 20. Carolyn Kamp, Glastonbury, 19:47.96; 21. Katherine Cavanaugh, Southington, 19:48.43; 22. Georgina Harrington, New Canaan, 19:48.687; 23. Julia Downing, Haddam-Killingworth, 19:48.75; 24. Emily Benker, Glastonbury, 19:48.81; 25. Meghan Elterich, Fairfield Warde, 19:54.13.