Boys Cross Country Wraps Up Comeback Tour

The boys varsity team runs as a pack at the Borough Championships in Van Cortlandt Park on October 23. Photo: Continental Studios

By MANUEL LOZANO-VELEZ,  CHARLIE CHAU, and MOHAMMED HOSSAIN

Boys Varsity Cross Country finished the season strong, placing 10th overall in the City Championship at Van Cortlandt Park on November 7. Wesley Corona ‘22 led the team and managed to secure a spot in the State Championship. He ran the 5K race in just under 18 minutes, 17:54, achieving the goal he set for himself at the beginning of the season.

“It felt amazing and completely unexpected,” Corona said. “I thought there weren't going to be states. It made me feel even more accomplished and proud of my team, coach, and the work that I put in.” 

Brian Pan ‘23, a varsity runner, said, “I was so proud of Wesley for making states. It’s a statement that hard work and consistency pay off in the end.”

October 23 was the Brooklyn Championship, where the Hornets placed third out of ten teams and were able to advance to the City Championship. The boys had two weeks to improve.

Sophomore Alexi Pravich, a first year runner, reached his goal of breaking 20 minutes in the 5K, hitting 19:55. Corona said, “Alexi improved a lot. He’s still improving.” 

At the state championship, Corona finished with a 18:34 in the 5K. “I could’ve done better, but for my first time on the course with almost 300 of the fastest kids in the state, I’ll take it,” he said. “When I found out I qualified, it was like making it to the Olympic trials. There were definitely a couple of times where I felt like quitting [going into the season], but I persevered, and that got me where I needed to be.”

September 25 marked the first cross country race for the team in nearly two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Before their first race, the runners had to put in hours of work to gain their strength back, as last season saw a lot of canceled practices and races. 

Besides getting used to the training schedule and in-person learning, new Covid restrictions made for a bumpy adjustment. Mr. Marc Cohen, the team’s coach, said, “There’s more paperwork now, temperatures have to be taken, and we weren’t able to compete as much due to PSAL’s policy that prevented us from competing with schools outside of PSAL.” PSAL didn’t reverse this policy until the middle of November.

“We had to adapt to the new Covid-19 measures,” said Corona, who has been on the team since his freshman year. “It required more determination and persistence. It also required more mental training since we weren’t running as a team for a year.”

Sajid Amin ‘23, a third year runner, said, “Nothing hits the same post-lockdown. There’s less people at meets and our team is smaller.”

Warner Gephardt ‘23, a varsity runner, said, “There were fewer races this season, so that was a little annoying, as were masks, but we didn’t have to wear them much. We’re close to each other, we have fun, and we got more motivated over the season.”

The team practiced at Marine Park for speed workouts and long runs, and Prospect Park for hill and mile repeats on terrain similar to that of Van Cortlandt.

Mr. Cohen has been the team’s coach since 2002. He shoots for a “direct and honest coaching style,” he said. “You need to have determination and commitment. Having the ability and physical strength to run is one thing, but having the mental capacity and strength is another thing.” 

Training with the team also trains the mind. “We have really good relationships with each other,” said Corona. “We push each other and have come so far together that we have great chemistry.” 

Gephardt said, “We’re tight-knit. When we see progress, we get really locked in.”

“We’re all very committed and competitive,” said Pravich. “Running with each other helps us run better and faster.”

Overall, the team did well for its first year back, the runners said. “We had to set some realistic goals due to Covid-19, but we were able to achieve them,” said Mr. Cohen. “The team was very committed this season. They were consistent and put in the work.” He believes that since most of the team are freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, “they have a lot of time to improve and do even better next year.”

“I think as we get better, our drive to win will increase, so we will get more competitive,” Gephardt said.

The team is continuing to welcome students who share an interest in running.

Sonam Sherpa ‘23, a junior varsity runner said, “My first impression was that the sport was challenging, but the team was very welcoming and I was able to fit in easily. I would recommend track to others if they are interested. It is a commitment, and time consuming, but it’s also fun, and you'll have a great time.”

Disclosure: Manuel Lozano-Velez is a runner for the boys track team.