The JV XC prepared very hard for their last meet of the season to end on a high note. After a final week of running, this meet marked the culmination of the team’s hard work and determination. Mr. McCrystal had high expectations and faith in the teams potential to succeed at the Greystone course. After a very disappointing race a week prior to the finale, the Rams pushed themselves in order to be ready!
The conditions the day of the race were very nice all around, except for the 80 degree weather playing a factor on how quickly the team got fatigued. Returning to Greystone was a good factor for the Rams as they already raced their twice before, so they were more familiar to the track than other teams. The boys had all undergone another physically and mentally intense season of training to prepare them for this race. As JV gathered in their classic prayer circle, an electric energy filled the air. This meet stood out from many previous ones for a special reason, as the Rams were fortunate to have every single member of the JV squad ready to run, including returning senior Sam Rothman.
In the first mile the Rams were dominant as senior Connor Heffernan led the pack with a 5:21 first mile. About 12 runners ran a sub-6:00 first mile, which was a very good sign. The second mile was strong for many as well, but the third mile posed more challenges due to its hilly terrain. The runners were left fatigued by then, partly because of the unusual heat. Connor Heffernan set a personal record (PR) and placed 7th, capping off his senior season. He was followed by Tristan Knight, who averaged a 6:08 per mile and just missed the top 10 with a time of 19:01. James Milton and Luca Vessecchia proceeded to follow as Milton achieved a 19:03 and Vessachia set a PR with a time of 19:31. Eight runners also broke the elusive 20-minute mark, along with senior Dean Webber who concluded his senior campaign. Alexander Kieschke, Max Jung, Raphael Fajolle, Marko Kvesic, Matt Maloba, Jonathan Barbanell, Donald Yapczencksi, Aiden Lontai, and Aidan Mowen all set PRs as well as they capped off a very strong showing from the JV. Overall the Rams had a solid finish, in which there is a lot more to build onto. The seniors this year have established a strong foundation to ensure OPXC’s continued success. The next Top 7, after the Varsity team, has one more race on Wednesday at the Viking Last Chance Invitational, where they aim to finish strong at Oak Ridge, a classic course.