Varsity boys–75-69
JV boys–25-57
On Saturday, Boys Cross Country placed second in the varsity race at New England Prep School Track Association (Interschols). Despite the difficult Hotchkiss course — which featured an infamously steep slope after the second mile dubbed the “Cardiac Hill,” followed by a slow uphill section ironically called cardiac arrest — the team pushed through, concluding their season on a high note.
Henry Zimmerman ’27 highlighted Co-Captain Tam Gavenas ’25 as the standout of the meet, noting that Gavenas shattered the previous record by over 50 seconds, finishing with a time of 15:01. He also highlighted how the Junior Varsity (JV) team adjusted their strategy by learning from Varsity’s races, starting at a slower pace to conserve energy, then steadily accelerating as the race progressed.
“Tam Gavenas ’25 ran an exceptional race, going out strong and staying on pace despite the punishing hills in the second half on his way to a commanding course record. Strategically, after hearing from the Varsity boys that they went out too fast in the first 2.5K and subsequently fell back on the hilly second half, the JV team took this into account. We stayed controlled, and in contact with the leaders in the first half, and then passed them on the hills near the end of the race,” said Zimmerman.
Head Coach Patrick Rielly praised Gavenas’s performance and extended his commendation to the other top performers on both the Varsity and JV teams. He noted that the team’s effort in the final stages of the season has been truly impressive.
“The race of the day on the boys’ side was Tam Gavenas’s brilliant front-running en route to breaking the previous course record by more than 50 seconds. Arashi Hunter [PG]’25, who finished fifth overall, also ran faster than the previous course record, which shows how strong this field of runners was. Luke Williamson ’25 ran the race of his life to secure all-New England honors, and [Co-Captain] Luke Francis ’25 secured a big win in the JV race with a commanding performance and tactical final surge.”
Zimmerman expanded on his earlier point, explaining that Andover prepared for the meet by studying the course layout in advance and strategizing to counter Phillips Exeter Acadmey’s (Exeter)strengths.
“We focused on understanding the layout of the course. We knew that the Exeter runners were going to go out fast as they always do, and we figured out which specific places on the course were ideal for passing other runners decisively. Right after Cardiac Hill, in the section called Cardiac Arrest, we were able to move up and pass a good amount of runners just as we’d planned to earlier,” Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman highlighted Andover’s strengths in hill conditioning and patience. He also reflected on how memorable Interschols was, with the sunny weather, strong competition, and enthusiastic crowds creating a positive experience for the runners.
“We’re very strong on the hills so this was a course well-suited to our team, but we’re also very patient. Patience is useful but can be a weakness when valued too highly. It was a thrill to watch two course records be broken and to participate in such an outstanding event with talented athletes from all over New England. The sunny and bright weather brought out the joy of competition. The crowds were really enthusiastic, and they made every race more fun to watch and run,” said Zimmerman.
Rielly built on Zimmerman’s point by emphasizing the benefits of Interschols, noting how it offers the runners a chance to compete against the best in the Northeast. It provided a true test of their abilities and showcased the strength of their performance.
“Interschols is a great event that brings together all of New England prep school XC, and we knew going into the meet that it would be a very competitive field. The day itself was brisk and blustery: the ideal New England cross-country environment. The top five boys all ran faster than the previous course record, so it was a fast day on Hotchkiss’s hilly home course,” said Rielly.
Looking ahead, Rielly outlined his vision for the team’s future. He believes the experience gained by the returning runners this year will drive and sustain a competitive squad and program as they move into next season.
Rielly said, “Looking forward, BXC brings back nine runners from this year’s Interschols squad, and we’re looking to continue to develop the program to keep it competitive at the top of Interschols.”
