Greenwich High School girls cross country team captures team title at CIAC State Open Championships in strong fashion

By David Fierro on November 9, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Contributed photo provided by Greenwich High School: The Greenwich High School girls cross country team won the team title at the State Open Championships on Nov. 6, 2023. Head coach Evan Dubin holds the State Open championship plaque. To his left is Kate Friedman. To his right are Lauren Resnick and Esme Daplyn. At the far left is assistant coach Peter Watson.

Another postseason, championship meet, another team title for the Greenwich High School girls cross country team.

Greenwich, which recently captured the team title at the FCIAC and Class LL Championships, made team history again, earning top honors at the CIAC State Open Championships at Wickham Park in Manchester.

Receiving strong finishers from their runners, the Cardinals won the State Open team title with a score of 95 points. Cheshire finished a distant second in the team standings with a score of 166 points. Glastonbury placed third in the team standings (170 points), followed by New Fairfield (206) and New Canaan (215). Greenwich finished first out of 20 teams that qualified to compete in the State Open Championships held on Monday.

Senior Esme Daplyn led Greenwich’s competitors at the 2023 State Open. Daplyn finished 10th overall in the 5K race with a time of 19:06. Katherine Bohlke, a Newington senior, won State Open, garnering the gold medal with a time of 18:16.

Contributed photo provided by Greenwich High School: Esme Daplyn, left and Kate Friedman, center, of Greenwich run in the State Open Girls Cross Country Championships at Wickham Park in Manchester, Conn., on Nov. 6, 2023.

Brooke Strauss, a junior, of Glastonbury placed second at the State Open Championships, crossing the finish line in 18:36. Tess Sherry of Conard was third in 18:40, while her sister, Liv Sherry took fourth (18:45). Harper Shirley of Manchester finished fifth in the State Open race, which included 171 finishers.

Daplyn has produced another sensational season for the Cardinals. She recently won the title at the CIAC Class LL Championships, also at Wickham Park, with a time of 18:53. At the 2023 FCIAC Championships, held at Waveny Park in New Canaan, Daplyn placed second in 18:51.

Kate Friedman, a senior, posted Greenwich’s next-best finish. Friedman finished 14th, clocking in at 19:27.

“It was an amazing experience,” Friedman said of participating in the State Open Championships. “I think our team really showed that we’re the best in the state. It’s such a privilege to contribute to Greenwich history and run with these girls.”

Indeed, it has been a historic season for the Cardinals’ girls cross country squad. They won the team title at the State Open Championships for the first time since 1982 and when they captured the team championship at the Class LL meet, it was the first time they did so since the 1977 season.

Greenwich’s FCIAC team win this fall was also the first time they claimed the conference championship since 2017. At the State Open Championships, senior Lauren Resnick was 26th in 19:48. Esme Daplyn, Friedman and Resnick are the Cardinals’ senior captains.

Eliana Daplyn, a sophomore, registered a time of 20:19, while GHS teammate Orla Muir, also a sophomore, clocked in at 20:39 at the State Open meet.

“They’re all such amazing people and I can’t believe that we can have a blast at practice every day and come out and perform so well,” Friedman noted. “I’m also so impressed by the fact that almost all of us ran faster than we did a the class meet and I am completely blown away by our margin of victory.

“I’m so grateful that I decided to try this sport last year – it’s completely changed my life,” Friedman continued. “Also, we’re super excited for New Englands. Hopefully, we can just keep doing what we’re doing and have a good day.”