Boys Cross Country

Boys Cross Country Prepares for First Race Against Choate

Opening with a grueling preseason training including various hill runs and high-mileage tempo workouts, Andover Boys Cross Country arrived on campus on September 2 to begin a long and exciting season. Able to focus on athletics without distraction, the athletes were able to push their limits and kick off their fall season with a vengeance.

Captain Giacomo Marino ’18 said, “During preseason we did multiple hill workouts to build strength and we also did some work on the track to help our early season speed.”

Jacob Buehler ’19 said, “Preseason is all about building strength and endurance rather than being fresh to race, or building speed, since the last two are typically things that we take care of at the end of the season, closer to the championship meets.”

“We focused a lot on making the transition from high-mileage, low-intensity summer training to the sort of lower-milage, higher-intensity training the we will be doing so much more of as the season goes on,” continued Buehler.

Andover’s depth of talent will prove to be one of its greatest strengths this season according to Nathan Goldthwaite ’18. In an email to The Phillipian, Goldthwaite wrote, “I think one of the best things about the boys [cross country] team is our depth — we have an experienced group of Seniors, but the other classes have shown incredible grit and strength.”

Every season, the team’s highest aspirations are to score well at the Interschol Championships, according to Sam Tobin ’18. Last year, Andover secured second place at the championship race, and after graduating only one Senior, the team is poised to win it all. 

“I and every other member of this team want to win the Division One championship more than anything, especially after our second place finish to Exeter last year. This year, we are fielding a much stronger team with not only strong returners, but many quick new runners who will build off of each other,” said Tobin.

Looking towards the end of the season, Marino believes the team has immense potential.

“We have a large Senior class who have run well in the past few years and I think we are in a position to be a frontrunner going into the championship, but we still have a lot of hard work ahead to get there though,” said Marino.

Anthony Minickiello ’20 shares Marino’s optimism regarding the Interschols championships. Minickiello said, “Besides giving the new runners a great experience on the team and cheering everyone on, placing well at the championship meet is obviously a climax of the season in terms of performance.”

Andover begins its season with high hopes for its first race of the season at the Choate Invitational on Saturday.