“This year was a blast!” exclaimed junior and future captain of the boys cross country team Lucas wilt. He is referring to the season that began all the way in the middle of August and is still continuing on into November. The start of the 2022 boys cross country season was difficult for the team, as “We lost a lot of depth,” according to Susan Markos, the coach of the team. They had lost multiple seniors, including a D1 Cross Country runner. But with 7 seniors, the team looked really great and were excited to begin the 2022 season.

The Cross Country team itself was 1-4 this year, although they had multiple very close races against other teams, including the 27-30 loss against Manchester Essex and the 26-30 loss against Hamilton Wenham. Susan Markos adds that “It was a tough year; there were a lot of illnesses and injuries. We were not as successful as we could have been.” These injuries and illnesses hindered the team a lot, as sometimes key runners had to sit out of very competitive meets. Despite this, it was a fun season for the team, as they still got to participate in their community activities such as the weekly team dinners. “The team dinners are very fun and allow for team bonding” claims senior Elias Keach. Without these team dinners, the cross country team would feel like less of a team and more of an individual sport. There is almost a brotherhood between the runners, as they all play gaga before practice together, and they all run as a group, making sure to encourage each other along the way.

The team consists of 7 seniors, 3 juniors, 4 sophomores, and 1 freshman, which means that the underclassmen have a large gap to fill in for next year. Although there is a lot of ground to make up, the cross country team is in capable hands. “I think that we have a lot of promising juniors and sophomores that can lead the team in our absence” says Ryan Orroth, who is a captain of the cross country team. With the leadership of future Captains Lucas Wilt, Nate Kristian, and Max Jones, boys cross country may be a team to look out for next year, “Next year will be a growing year for the team,” says coach Susan Markos. Not only that, but Susan Markos claims that “There are a couple of very strong cross country boys in the 8th grade, but they may choose to play soccer instead.” With strong leadership in the future and a couple strong newcomers, don’t count the boys cross country team out, because it’s only just the beginning of the marathon.