The Danbury Boys Cross Country team finished off their strong 2019 season finishing with a 14-1 regular season record. The boys are coached by PE teacher Robert Murray.

Coach Murray’s boys are ranked fifth in the Connecticut Boys Cross Country Poll

With the fast start, Murray is hopeful for his team’s performance later this fall. “It is our goal to contend for the FCIAC Championship against the entire league – particularly Staples and Ridgefield,” Murray said. The FCIAC Championship will be held on October 16th. 

Staples and Ridgefield provide for heavy competition in the FCIAC, with Staples ranked third in the state, and Ridgefield not far behind them at sixth. As two-time defending champions, Staples, standing at 15-0, is proving to be the largest challenge for the Danbury Boys Cross Country team. 

With Staples being the force that they are, and Danbury holding the best FCIAC record behind them, the FCIAC final is likely to be a battle between the two schools, joined by Fairfield Ludlowe with a record of 10-2, and Ridgefield with a record of 8-4.

DHS’s top four runners this year have quite the potential. Murray claims that, “all four can be first team all FCIAC”.

Cross country member Sean Murphy (junior) believes the “highlight of the season so far was finishing our regular season with a record of 14-1.” Outside of the scoreboard, the highlight of Murphy’s overall track experience has been “making friends that will last a lifetime.”

Murphy’s fellow runner, Canaan Sturdevant (freshman), agreed. Sturdevant claims joining cross country made his transition into high school smoother as through it he “received supportive friends and found a role in the DHS community.

Though the Boys Cross Country Team endures intense training – with each cross country member running an average of 45-65 miles a week and practicing from Monday to Saturday – they have pride in their record and overall connections and have hope for the season ahead.

Sturdevant, Murphy, and the rest of the team finished in 3rd place in the FCIAC finals on October 16th. They boys’ next race is the State LL Championship.