“It was the fastest average time by both the girls teams and the boys teams in school history for the Bronx course,” said coach Tom Martin.
The boys were competing against 20 of the top cross country teams on the East coast, and despite some minor course obstacles, they performed exceptionally well, with an average time of 13:21.82 for the 2.5 mile race.
“We were competing against some of the best ranked teams in the country, and for that I think everyone ran really great and did an amazing job,” said sophomore Josh Ellis.
In addition to the tough competition, Ellis said that the course was a bit different than what they usually run. The Manhattan Invitational directors were restoring the grass fields at the historic park which altered the course, making it about 8-10 seconds longer than normal. But, the team was still able to adapt easily and still come out on top.
“Everyone started out really fast and stayed pretty consistent,” said Ellis.
Many individual runners beat their own personal records at the meet as well, making it a double victory for some. Juniors Nick Reagan and Alex Willett and senior Sean O’Leary were three key runners who greatly contributed to WJ’s success.
According to Martin, the boys team is under new leadership this year, and the captains are learning how to keep the team focused and prepared, which he hopes will translate into big performances towards the end of the season.
The girls also ran a 2.5 mile race against other tough varsity teams, and ranked fifth with an average time of 16:12.24. Although the girls ran in a lower level race, they still performed exceptionally. Junior Anna Bosse was a main contributor to this success, finishing eleventh with 15:34.20, and junior Camille Bouvet and seniors Jenna Willett and Jennifer Spencer ran a competitive races as well. Martin is extremely proud of the girls’ performance thus far, and is proud of how far they’ve come.
“This year the girls have gained more confidence and view themselves as a top team now,” he said.
WJ cross country has always had a history of strong, successful seasons, and this year so far has proved to be no different. Martin has been directing some intense practices and workout sessions for the runners to ensure yet another outstanding season for the team. Martin says that the level of training is higher and harder than it’s ever been before, and it’s definitely paying off.
“This year has been way harder, and now [cross country] is less of a joke,” said sophomore Marcela De Campos.
As far as goals for this season, Martin hopes to maximize each individuals potential by creating a team that has a mission.
“The true goal is to share an intense experience that is based on belief, trust and tenacity, and this allows an athlete to learn that anything is possible if you are willing to do what it takes,” said Martin.
