Dean Yost outruns them all to capture Canton’s Lobster Loop road race

Dean Yost pulled away in the last mile to win the 24th annual Lobster Loop Road Race in Canton Sunday.

CANTON, August 23 – Canton’s Dean Yost and his twin brother James have been teammates for years. They’ve been a part of Canton High teams that won four straight NCCC titles in outdoor track and Canton teams in indoor track and field and cross country that always challenged for league and Class S championships.

Most of the time, James came out ahead. Not every time. And not by much.

Dean beat James at the NCCC cross country meet last fall by two seconds, finishing fourth. It was his first win of the fall over James. A week later, he was 14th in Class SS, three spots ahead of James. The two were on the same Canton 4×800 relay team that won a Class S state championship last spring.

On Sunday, the two brothers continued their summer training at the 24th annual Canton Lobster Loop road race. Both will be attending the University of New Hampshire this fall. They would like to try and participate in the track and field program.

Dean got off to a nice start with the leaders and pulled away in the final mile to become just the third Canton runner to ever win the Lobster Loop race with a 28 second victory over Goshen’s Brandon LeClair. West Hartford’s Jillian Sullivan held off Avon’s Rachel Martin to win her first women’s title in 19:13.

LeClair, who will be a senior at Wamogo this fall, was running with Dean Yost as the two pair approached Hill Street. Both attacked it but Yost was able to pull away. “We were pacing off each other for the first two miles,” LeClair said.

Dean Yost said he really didn’t have much of a game plan other than staying with the race leaders. He did thank his high school cross country and track and field coach Tim O’Donnell. “I want to thank Mr. O’Donnell for all of the great coaching,” he said. “He inspired me to run.”

Dean Yost is the first Canton runner to win the race since Mike LeDuc won in 2011 and 2012. Nate Bussiere was the first Canton man to win the race in 2009.

Runners take off in the 24th annual Lobster Loop Road Race in Canton.

Canton’s Chris Bussiere, 27, was the only runner over the age of 20 in the top 10 in sixth place in a time of 17:51.

Andrew Suter, who will be a senior at Avon High this fall, was third in 17:08, six seconds behind LeClair. Suter’s teammate Jonathan Hernandez was fourth (17:49) while James Yost was fifth in 17:51.

West Hartford’s Gillian Sullivan won the women’s race Sunday.

The women’s race was also dominated by the youngsters. Sullivan, 30, was able to hold off Avon’s Rachel Martin to win. Eight of the first nine runners were under the age of 19 and seven of those first nine women will be in high school this fall.

Martin beat her sister Christina, who finished third by 15 seconds. Teammate Sara Leavens was fourth among the women while Ashley Martin was sixth. All three Martin sisters and Leavens will be on the Avon High girls cross country team team this fall as they defend their Class MM championship.

NOTES: Melissa Marsted, a former Canton High cross country runner, was in town and ran in the race. Marsted lives in Park City, Utah. She was second in the women’s 40-49 age division … Christine Neski just recently moved into her Avon home. Her mother told her about this race and Neski ran, winning the women’s 30-39 age division in 22:05. Her mother, Joan Manfredonia of Southbury, also ran and won the women’s 70-79 division in 33:12. … There were 484 runners finishing the race, the largest since 2011 when 499 competed in the race. … Race proceeds benefit the Canton Middle School PTO. … Click here for full race results. 

2015 Lobster Loop
At Canton
Top 10: 1. Dean Yost, Canton, 16:34 for 3.1 miles, 2. Brandon LeClair, Goshen, 17:02, 3. Andrew Suter, Avon, 17:08, 4. Jonathan Hernandez, Avon, 17:49, 5. James Yost, Canton, 17:51, 6. Chris Bussiere, Canton, 17:50, 7. Zac Thurlow, Canton, 17:59, 8. Jack Stokesbury, Avon, 18:17, 9. Jeff Schumacher, Colebrook, 18:32, 10. Aidan O’Donnell, Canton, 18:39

Top 10 women: 1. Jillian Sullivan, West Hartford, 19:13 (19th overall) for 3.1 miles; 2. Rachel Martin, Avon, 19:18 (21); 3. Christina Martin, Avon, 19:33 (22); 4. Sara Leavens, Avon, 19:58 (29); 5. Kaitlin Bakas, South Windsor, 20:10 (31); 6. Ashley Martin, Avon, 20:33 (37); 7. Sara Stokesbury, Avon, 20:58 (41); 8. Lindsey Hurd, South Windsor, 21:13 (45); 9. Elizabeth Krenicky, Collinsville, 21:36 (51); 10. Courtney Marum, Canton, 21:44 (54)

From left, Avon’s Ashley Martin, Rachel Martin, Sara Leavens and Christina Martin placed fifth, first, third and second, respectively in the girls 15-18 division.

Avon’s Christine Neski, left and her mother Joan Manfredonia each won age group titles Sunday.

Youngsters proudly show off their medals after Sunday’s Lobster Loop road race.

Age group winners
GIRLS 11 and under: 1. Lillian Cournoyer, Simsbury, 27:59, 2. Ellie Bahre, Canton, 29:26; 3. Cathy Gaves 29:27
GIRLS 12-14: 1. Lindsey Hurd, South Windsor, 21:13, 2. Elizabeth Krenicky, Collinsville, 21:38, 3. Alexandra Poole, Farmington, 22:08
GIRLS 15-18: 1. Rachel Martin, Avon, 19:18, 2. Christina Martin, Avon, 19:33, 3. Sara Leavens, Avon, 19:58
WOMEN19-29: 1. Sara Stokesbury, Avon, 20:58, 2. Karina O’Friel, Norwalk, 22:31, 3. Ursula Nickersen, Fairfield, 22:44
WOMEN 30-39: 1. Christine Neski, Avon, 22:05, 2. Jenny Lefkowski, Barkhamsted, 23:21, 3. Erin Izzo, Canton, 23:40
WOMEN 40-49: 1. Courtney Marum, Canton, 21:44, 2. Melissa Marsted, Park City, UT 23:56; 3. Jennifer Rottkamp, Canton, 23:40
WOMEN 50-59: 1. Lauren Hurst, West Simsbury, 23:13, 2. Nancy Huneck, Collinsville, 25:54, 3. Marty Pagliallenga, Fairfield 25:59
WOMEN 60-69: 1. Christine Fahey, Higgnaum, 29:12; 2. Karen Rogers, Clinton, 29:21, 3. Sigrid Mattheis, Burlington 45:51
WOMEN 70-79: 1. Joan Manfredonia, Southbury, 33:12

BOYS 11 and under: 1. Tyler Schumacher, Colebrook, 19:45, 2. T.J. Connolly, Canton, 22:45, 3. Max Berger, Simsbury 23:56
BOYS 12-14: 1. Jesse Schumacher, Colebrook, 19:45; 2. Jacob Bendetti, Canton, 21:26, 3. Collin Anderson, Canton, 21:54
BOYS 15-18: 1. Brandon LeClair, Goshen, 17:02, 2. Andrew Suter, Avon, 17:08, 3. Jonathan Hernandez, Avon, 17:49
MEN 19-29: 1. Chris Bussiere, Canton, 17:51, 2. Dan Buonome, Avon, 19:12, 3. Jonathan Cahill, Canton, 19:34
MEN 30-39: 1. Casey Smith, Torrington, 18:40, 3. Zoltan Rigo, Berlin, 18:43, 3. C.J. Fusco, West Hartford, 18:51
MEN 40-49: 1. Patrick McCue, Canton 19:14, 2. John Koster, Canton 20:25, 3. Joseph Vacca, Canton 20:59
MEN 50-59: 1. Kevin Goehring, Farmington, 19:36, 2. Jeff Winsor, Canton, 22:05, 3. Steve Burdick, Avon, 22:13
MEN 60-69: 1. Dean Bolt, West Hartford 23:56, 2. Ron Bush, West Hartford 24:07, 3. Thom Shea, Woodbury, 24:41
MEN 70-79: 1. Bob Ward, Vernon, 24:13, 2. Fred Gohringer, Milldale, 24:18, 3. Guy Pulino, Moodus, 26:47
MEN 80 and more: 1. Edward Regnar, Torrington, 50:56