Boys Cross Country Took the Season by Storm

Cross Country is a difficult sport. Not many can do it, but Saint Anthony’s Boys Cross Country team has done it with commitment this season. Earning the CHSAA League title and coming in third place with 96 points at the Intersectional Championships. The season started on August 20th and four months later, the team progressed to the New York State Public Championship.

Head Coach Tim Dearie’s expectations coming into this season were high, but also guarded. “They are a young team with less experience than boys their age would normally have because of all the covid restrictions over the last year and a half.  Based on last year’s limited performances, the pre-season polls had us 4th in the CHSAA and at the State Catholic Championships for Nov this season.”

So Dearie took action, “I decided to take a group of boys to the Northern Adirondacks when school ended last June. We have been getting less and less boys to do the training necessary to win XC team championships. The group got in good training but the real purpose was to sit around the fire and really talk about responsibility, what being a Friar XC runner means, and seeing the bigger picture. The boys drew up an agreement, wrote it out, and they all signed. Then, they went out and did what was necessary to have a shot at a championship, which was to train hard every day.” 

When asked what the best surprise was about this season, Coach Dearie stated that “The biggest surprise about the team is how quickly they have gelled and become one of the top teams in NY State.” Aidan and Coach Dearie both agreed on how well this Varsity team has gelled this season.

When asked, Aidan Brancaccio ‘23 the same question he answered, “One of the biggest surprises this season was how the team did at the Ocean State Meet in Rhode Island. This was a high level meet and some of the best nationally ranked runners were in the race. Varsity had no idea what to expect in our competition. The race went out faster than any other race we had been in, but we pulled it together and finished second by one point.”

I talked with Hunter Wilson ‘23, to hear his point of view about the season. He told me that his biggest challenge was to not get so nervous before races and to focus on showing up for the team, which is something that we all can all relate to as athletes. He shared about his performance this year,“The race we run the most is 2.5 mile, and my personal best is 13:33 and I look forward to getting stronger next year.” 

Junior, Jeremy Paredes said, “another one of the top moments of their season besides winning the NSCHSAA League Championship at the end of the season, winning the Jim Smith Invitational at the beginning of the season and the Saint Anthony’s invitational in the middle of the season.”  Winning invitationals are definitely great moments for any runner. Jeremy said, “throughout the season he worked on his time and still has more to go.” His personal best time times this season have been 13:34.6 and 17:36.4 in both the 2.5 and 5k, respectfully.

The season ended for the Friars on November 20th, at the NYSPHSAA Cross Country Championships, where their signed contract they agreed to over the summer truly paid off finishing 10th in New York State. Saint Anthony’s qualified for the New York States, with a 3rd place, finish on November 13th, at the CHSAA Intersectional Championships, where top Friar, Paredes, finished 5th with a time of 13:34.6 to help them secure a spot for the NYSPHSAA meet. Sean Dearie and Hunter Willson helped secure 10th place, both running 17:27.40. Keep an eye out for this successful team in 2022. 

BY: Uchenna Kelly is a freshman at St.Anthonys; this is her first year writing for a sports paper and is very excited. She also is planning on joining the winter and spring track team.