After winning 4 titles, having the 2nd fastest varsity average in school history, and concluding the season with OPXC’s best placement ever at the Non-Public A State Championship (beating Delbarton, Seton Hall Prep, Don Bosco & Bergen Catholic), it is certain that the 2023 Cross Country team is among the best Oratory has ever had. Maybe the biggest indicator of this came at The Garden State Last Chance Invitational which officially concluded OPXC’s season. In this race, the Rams were led by the 2023 Team MVP, and Senior Captain Tommy Hunt. Hunt would lead from the gun and ended up winning the race in an official personal best of 16:18 in his last-ever race. Going wire to wire, Hunt would set the pace and distance himself from the chase pack over the final 400 meters, putting about 9 seconds between him and 2nd place while averaging a 5:15 per mile pace over the 3.1-mile distance. Hunt was followed by Declan Kelly, who placed 6th in 16:47 (averaging 5:24 per mile), the fastest he has ever run at Oak Ridge Park. Once again, Connor Bassolino placed 3rd for the Rams, guiding along Aidan Murphy who trailed Bass for the entirety of the race. Murphy, a freshman, ran a remarkable time of 17:32 to set Oratory’s freshman course record at Oak Ridge. The Rams went on to win the team title over Pingry, who was ranked as high as #14 in the NJ State rankings and finished the season at #19.
This great conclusion to the season flowed off the momentum the Rams gained at the Non-Public A State Championship, where Tim Callahan and James Nolan both had career days. Callahan, who has exhibited immense leadership qualities over the course of this season, stepped up for the Rams and finally got results for all of his hard work. The Junior placed in the Rams scoring 5 for the first time in over a month, while Sophomore James Nolan had one of the biggest break-out races in recent memory. Storming through the home stretch, Nolan finished as the Ram’s #2 runner at arguably the biggest race of the year and was just barely ahead of his training partner, Declan Kelly, who has admirably taken him under his wing this year. Nolan was hoping to have run one more race at Oak Ridge with the team to finish his season but unfortunately suffered an ankle injury just days before, to which we wish a speedy recovery. The next day, the Rams would celebrate a season full of accomplishment with a team dinner and some ultimate frisbee before Oratory’s Annual Fall Sports Award Ceremony. Here, the Rams were praised even more for their accomplishments and hard work, while the seniors were overcome by a bit of remorse once they realized it was over. As the captain, I would like to thank everyone who has supported the cross-country team over the last few years and share how much the support and the team itself has meant to me. I look to the upcoming track season and leave OPXC behind knowing the team is in good hands, and as always, Go Rams.
