The Varsity Cross Country team is off to a great start in their 2022 season with a win for the boys and third place for the girls at Bethpage State Park! Their next meet is the Xavier Invitational on September 24 in Ocean Breeze, Staten Island.

On this season’s prospects, Senior Girl’s Captain Katherine Killian shared, “I think our hopes for the season are to become better teammates to each other and compete the best we can. Many people think that cross country is a very individualized sport, but it is one of the closest teams I have ever been on. Everyone cheers each other on when competing and pushes one another to do their best while making themselves better as well.” She thinks the team “definitely has potential at Counties.”

Killian also noted that the team is closer than she has ever experienced. “This year the team chemistry is nothing like I have seen before,” she said. “The girls really get along so it’s so nice to see everyone motivate each other. They have become some of my closest friends. We have also gained a lot of freshmen this year which is really exciting for the team in the upcoming years. Overall, I am very grateful to be a part of this team for the past three years because it taught me not only how to become a better runner and athlete but how to become a better teammate and leader as well.” Senior Boy’s Captain James Curan also added, “There are a lot of really fast freshmen that joined the team. I’m excited to see how we do this year.”

After the team’s last three league meets, the top three runners for the boys are Owen Stachlik (10th grade), Ryan Miller (12th grade), and Ian Frazer (9th grade). For the girls, the top three are Katherine Killian (12th), Juliana Vanorden (10th), and Olivia Scherer (9th).