As the autumn breeze grows colder, Bridgewater Raritan High School’s (BRHS) boys’ cross-country team charges up for the final stretch of the season.
The team has already participated in five meets since the start of their season, with many athletes reaching significant accomplishments in a competitive environment.
While the freshmen have just embarked on their journey to glory, the upperclassmen have demonstrated their solid individual capabilities in their races.
Notably, in the Shores Coaches Invitational on Saturday, October 5, at Holmdel Park in the Boys Varsity A division of the 5,000-meter run, Bridgewater-Raritan’s skilled senior runner, Lukas Disko, took first place among 202 runners with a time of 15:54.00.
Having only four meets left out of the nine in the entire season, the squad is pushing themselves to their limit in order to shape the rest of their season to be a memorable one.
The remaining meets for Bridgewater-Raritan are the most crucial of the season.
The Skyland Conference Championships, the Somerset County Championships, the Freshman/JV state race, the state sectionals, and then the Group 4 state meet are on the schedule. The Meet of Champions race will end the season, but runners and teams must qualify through placing high at the state sectionals and then the state Group 4 race.
The significance and pressure of these upcoming meets drive the team to train harder at practice, building their sharpness to perform at their peak capability when it matters the most.
For the seniors, each stride is wistful as they strive to savor every last moment of the distance they have covered through their entire high school experience.
Senior Nick Saint John reflected on what four years on the team has taught him and describes the value of his experiences with them.
“Cross-country has taught me a lot about pushing through the pain and generally being a great guy for the team. I like having a community to have and show up to everyday and talk about your issues with on long-runs,” he said.
Sophomore Pon Rathinam describes his appreciation for the seniors on the cross country team.
“The seniors had a big influence on me, motivating me to run faster and put in the same hard work as they do. They inspire me to keep running and someday become as fast as them,” he said.
The bond of the seniors with underclassmen athletes defines Bridgewater-Raritan’s cross country team. The achievements of the seniors leave a lasting legacy on the team and motivate growth.
In search of growth, the boys cross country team diligently practices every day after school, knowing the importance of the weeks that lie ahead.
As for the underclassmen, they are eager to expand upon the legacy of the team in their future years at BRHS.
Meanwhile, the seniors are set out to end their season on a high note and to create memories that sum up their final experience on the team.
