FARMINGTON — For now, Glastonbury remains on top.
The Guardians, reigning State Open and Class LL girls cross country champions, remained in winning form Saturday by winning the Winding Trails Invitational.
Alexa Ciccone and the Cheshire Rams, though, aren’t too far behind.
Cheshire placed second to Glastonbury by a mere four points, 50-54, in the girls large-school race. New Canaan, last year’s Class L runner-up, was third with 69 points.
Glastonbury was led by overall winner Brooke Strauss, who covered the 3.1-mile course in 18:32. Ciccone was second in 19:04.
The Rams also got scoring from Eva Curran (10th, 20:39), Emily D’Souza (12th, 20:48), Ava Ciccone (14th, 20:59) and Sage Falcon (16th, 21:06).
“What a great day for the CHS Rams,” remarked coach Rob Schaefer. “Out-racing state powerhouse New Canaan is going to build our confidence as the season progresses. Running only a step behind Glastonbury, last year’s state champion, is also a huge step in the right direction. Our girls are running great.”
The Cheshire boys placed third in a boys top three that featured the same teams as the girls’ race, just in different order: New Canaan (42), Glastonbury (63) and Cheshire (70).
Newtown’s Soheib Dissa was the overall winner in 15:43.
Cheshire’s top man was Daniel D'Souza, who placed fourth in 16:57. Also scoring for CHS were James Boyd (11th, 17:35), Tyler Caron 12th 17:44), Jack Lengyel 14th, 17:49 and Brian Krzanowski (29th, 18:56).
Sheehan ran in the medium-school races and placed an individual runner high in both. Tyler Deme was third among the boys in 17:08 and Eleanor Chamberlain was fourth among the girls in 20:14.
Angelika Kotula was also in the girls Top 10. The senior captain was eighth in 21:20. Harper Vanacore ran a 22:07 to place 18th.
Bryan Medina was 18th in the boys race (18:10). Ronan Liu was right behind him (18:15).
BOYS SOCCER
Cheshire 1, Guilford 1: In a game featuring two of the top teams in the SCC, the Rams and Grizzlies played to an interdivisional draw in Guilford.
Elis Sulollari staked Cheshire to a 1-0 lead in the first half by running onto a free kick by Jelique Panton and heading it home.
Wyatt Sprenkle answered for Guilford with 14:38 left in regulation.
Daniel Braylyan made five saves in net for Cheshire, now 2-0-1. Guilford is 4-1-1.
Hamden 3, Sheehan 2: The Titans dropped to 1-3 with the SCC Oronoque loss in Hamden. Sheehan hosts North Haven on Tuesday night at Choate’s Hartevelt Field at 7 p.m.
Notre Dame-West Haven 4, Lyman Hall 0: The Trojans ended the week at 1-3-1 with the SCC Hammonasset setback at home on Saturday. The Green Knighs are unbeaten at 4-0-1.
GIRLS SOCCER
Mercy 1, Cheshire 0: Molly Benson’s second-half free kick carried the Tigers to victory in Cheshire and kept them undefeated at 7-0.
The loss was the first for the Rams, who had won four straight since their season-opening draw with Amity.
The teams meet again on Oct. 18 in Middletown.
Sacred Heart Academy 1, Lyman Hall 0: Mia OConnor’s goal 10 minutes in stood as the game-winner in this SCC Hammonasset Saturday morning matchup at Fitzgerald Field.
SHA improved to 6-0, with a showdown with 6-0 Mercy looming on Tuesday.
LH, which got a combined five saves from Kayla Reeves and Tatum Callahan in net, is 1-3.
Daniel Hand 5, Sheehan 1: A pair of Parris paced the host Tigers to the SCC crossover triumph at the Surf Club in Madison.
Rorry Parri scored two goals in the first half and Keely Parri added two in a three-minute span after the break.
Meghan Keating had the goal for Sheehan.
Hand out-shot Sheehan 13-6 in improving to 5-1. Sheehan is 3-2.