Simsbury’s Caleb Davis (14) bears down to sprint in the final 400 yards of Sunday’s Lobster Loop road race in Canton.
CANTON, August 24, 2025 – The first day that teams can compete in the 2025 Connecticut high school cross country season is a little over a week away – Tuesday, Sept. 2.
That’s also opening day for the soccer, field hockey and volleyball programs across the state.
Athletes from Canton, Avon, Simsbury and other area schools took an opportunity early on Sunday morning to get in some work on the road at the 33rd annual Lobster Loop road race in Canton.
Getting ready for his senior campaign, Simsbury’s Caleb Davis worked on his finishing skills to outrun Canton’s Brady Morrison in the last 400 yards to win the Lobster Loop for the first time with a personal-best time (on this course) of 16:35.
Morrison was second with a time of 16:41 in his Lobster Loop debut.
Canton’s Lauren Longley won the women’s race at the Lobster Loop for the second consecutive year with a time of 19:55 and 11th overall. Rebecca Stephenson of Unionville, who won the race in 2023, was second in 20:44, 19th overall.
Nearly 500 runners participated in the run and walk that raises money for the Canton Middle School’s PTO (Parent Teacher Organization).
Davis is no stranger to contending in this race. He was third in 2023 in 17:58 as his older brother, Luke, won the race for a second consecutive year, and second a year ago behind Canton’s Mike LeDuc with a time of 16:43.
All three Davis brothers have won the race. Solomon Davis won the race in 2016.
Caleb Davis was in front for most of the race but Morisson pulled even on Hill Street and tried to pull ahead once the two runners began running down Gildersleeve Avenue and back toward the Canton Green.
But Caleb Davis never let Morrisson get a lead. Even as they approached the finish line, they weren’t far apart but Davis picked up speed in the final 400 meters to pull away with a six-second victory. It was the closest race since LeDuc beat long-time race champion Marc Robaczynski in 2011 by four seconds.
“It was a good race and a lot of fun,” Davis said.
Canton’s Lauren Longley won the Lobster Loop for the second straight year.
Longley had the lead from the start in the women’s race and challenged herself to stick with the men racing near by her. “They pulled me along,” she joked.
It was her fourth consecutive top five finish in the race.
“It is a fun one,” Longley said. “It is always a little hot, a little humid and a little hilly. It’s a good fitness test. It’s a great community event.”
2025 Lobster Loop Road Race
At Canton
Winner – Caleb Davis, Simsbury 16:35 for 3.1 miles, 2. Brady Morrison, Canton, 16:41, 3. Chris Chisholm, Farmington, 17:55, 4. Pat Dennen, Avon 18:10, 5. Tim Brodeur, Windsor Locks 18:48, 6. Jeffrey McDermott, Farmington, 19:00, 7. Samuel Herman, Granby, 19:01, 8. Liam Vincent, Canton, 19:22, 9. Greg Vincent, Canton, 19:26, 10. Evan Raineault, Canton, 19:35, 11. Lauren Longley, Canton, 19:55, 12. Marcos Krause, Danbury, 20:02, 13. Elliot Via, Naugatuck 20:08, 14. Eric Gamari, Torrington, 20:24, 15. George Mastrogiannis, Canton, 20:27
Top 10 women: 1. Lauren Longley, Canton (11th overall), 19:55 for 3.1 miles, 2. R. Stephenson, Unionville (19) 20:44, 3. Lindsay Willig, Canton (21) 20:50, 4. Shana Brierley, Bolton (24) 20:59, 5. Sarah Saindon, Avon (33) 21:39, 6. Amber Zaharchuk, Burlington (44) 22:15, 7. Judith Fever, Canton (51) 22:38, 8. Abigail Van Hoof, Avon (55) 22:56, 9. Lyric Wilson (63) 23:19, 10. Kate Blaisdell, New Hartford (64) 23:20
There were 495 finishers in the race.
Race records: Marc Robacyznski, 15:27, 1997; Kate Patten, New Hartford, 17:29, 2002
2025 Lobster Loop road race results
Previous race results: 1996-2019
Runners take off for the 33rd annual Lobster Loop road race in Canton on Sunday morning.
