Danbury High cross country team set for 20th annual alumni race on Sunday

The Danbury High cross country team will kick off its season with its 20th annual Alumni Race on Sunday at 10 a.m. The 2.86-mile race will start and finish at the high school and follow the old cross country course. The race is free of charge and open to anyone who thinks they have what it takes to run with the many Hatter stars from yesterday and today. The race will be scored as a dual meet between this year's Danbury varsity team and the alumni team.

The alumni team won last year's race 23-34 and holds a perfect 19-0 all-time record in the event. Alums Willie Ahearn, Matt Terry and John LaRosa led the pack last year, finishing in 16:56. Ahearn and Terry were both members of Danbury High's Class of 2008, while LaRosa was a member of the Class of 1999. Ahearn now runs at Georgetown University and Terry runs at Providence College. LaRosa ran at the University of Rhode Island.

The top varsity finisher last year was Alex Levine, who will be a senior on this year's squad. He finished in 17:29, edging coach Rob Murray -- a member of the Class of 1988 -- by four seconds.