Flying Owlets Soar at the 12th Annual Country School Invitational

Under perfect autumn skies, the 12th Annual Country School Invitational kicked off in festive style yesterday afternoon, with 39 eager kindergarten-through-fourth-grade runners from Country School and Hamden Hall charging off the line in the much-anticipated Flying Owlets Mile. A light breeze and cool temperatures made for ideal cross-country racing, though the dry, root-studded trails demanded focus and grit from start to finish. 

 

Parents, grandparents, siblings, and classmates lined the course, cheering every stride and celebrating the true spirit of school cross country.

 

From the opening horn, it was clear the Owlets had come ready to fly. Seasoned runner Luca Laurans (Grade 4) surged to the front and never looked back, crossing the line in a blazing 7:07, capturing first place overall and setting the tone for the Owlets’ remarkable showing. Just seconds behind, newcomer Clark Pennington (Grade 4) stormed home in 7:10, sealing a one-two finish for Country School and thrilling the hometown crowd.

 

The rest of the Owlet squad followed with courage and camaraderie, tackling the mix of fast grass and tricky trail with poise beyond their years. Henry Joelson (Grade 4) 

clocked a strong 7:53, holding off several Hamden Hall challengers. Simon Ouellet (Grade 2) and M. Gomez (Grade 1) ran stride-for-stride to the finish in 8:30, both earning well-deserved personal bests — and big cheers for running the full mile without stopping.

 

The middle pack brought more Owlet heart: Henry Clark (Grade 2) finished in 8:40, Gavin Gomez (Grade 3) in 9:03, Junior Olympic runner Phoebe Merrill (Grade 4) in 9:09, and Jai Menon (Grade 3) matching that same time with a fierce kick down the stretch. 

 

Anna Barnes (Grade 4) came through just two seconds later in 9:11, with Hudson Flowers (Grade 2) close behind at 9:16.

 

The parade of blue and gold continued as Zoe Robinson (Grade 4) and Grady Wepler (Grade 4) powered through in 9:18 and 9:22, followed by Gavin ?? (Grade 3) and Charlotte Lee (Grade 2) — both stopping the clock at 9:36, each earning loud cheers from classmates at the finish chute. Rounding out the Owlet effort, Sawyer McNeill (Grade 4) showed perseverance and team spirit, finishing strong in 11:16 followed by Sebastian Sanchez, our youngest racer who completed his first official contest with enthusiasm.

 

The Owlets’ energy carried the morning, with smiles as bright as the autumn leaves and countless personal records to celebrate. After the race, runners and families gathered at the tents for well-earned snacks and laughter, already talking about next year’s run and the middle school races still to come.

 

It was, in every way, a perfect Country School afternoon — fast grass, tricky trails, cheering  families, and a team of runners who proved that courage and camaraderie go hand-in-hand on the cross-country course.