The boys and girls cross country teams dominated their PAL Championship meet at Crystal Springs Cross Country Course, respectively placing first and second overall. The boys secured their championship title for the fourth year in a row, the first occurrence of a school winning the PAL Cross Country Championship with a perfect score. The girls narrowly succumbed to their long-time rivals, the Carlmont Scots, despite winning two of three of their previous PAL meets.
Following the race, the Bears celebrated their 15 seniors. The boys’ team recognized Aidan Sharp, Asher Harris, Brady Phan, Cason Mitchell, Dane Hansen, Kentaro Wuertele, Noam Bertot, Pietro Vecchierelli, and Zach Jones. The girls’ team recognized Gaby Foster*, Louisa Pflaum, Matilda Smart, Mia Sanchez, Paige McGaraghan, and Riya Mehta. Each athlete received a short speech and picture-filled poster.
Wuertele stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Vecchierelli stands for a photo with his coach after senior celebration. 
Hansen stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Phan stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Jones stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Bertot stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Mitchell stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Harris stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Sharp stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
McGaraghan stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Smart stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Mehta stands for a photo with her coach after senior celebration. 
Sanchez stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
L. Pflaum stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Foster stands for a photo with family after senior celebration. 
Team claps for senior celebration. 
Team poses for senior photo.
The boys’ team placed runners in the first five spots, with the rest following in eighth, and twelfth. Mitchell secured first with a time of 15:26.2—the third-fastest time in M-A history—tailed by Sharp and junior Grant Bennitt with respective times of 15:29.1 and 15:44.7. Phan and junior Benjamin Salceda followed closely behind under the 16-minute mark.
“For me, the hardest part of the course is a steep hill with about 3/4 miles to go. It’s easy to lose momentum and break mentally, so keeping composure up the hill is very difficult,” Sharp said.
The girls’ team raced second, all successfully placing within the first 25 spots out of 105 athletes. Sophomore Caroline Pflaum took first place, completing the notorious 2.95 hilly course with a time of 17:59.4, while also claiming the title of the third-fastest time in school history. Trailing closely, L. Pflaum and Smart cinched ninth and tenth place, with times of 19:28.7 and 19:29.1, respectively. Despite a great race, the girls fell just four points short from overtaking Carlmont.
“Crystal Springs is a famously hilly course, and in the past we’ve struggled some to compete with other teams who naturally get more hills, since M-A is in a pretty flat area,” L. Pflaum said. “But, this season we’ve really put the effort in to get out to Valpo Hill or hillier trails on weekends and that difference in our training is definitely showing because we’re performing better and feeling better.”
“The race being the day after Halloween was a little chaotic, however, by being diligent about eating well and sleeping well we were able to ensure we were ready for the race. Our preparation definitely paid off as we were able to run some really fast times,” Sharp said.
“We’ve especially been focusing on going out conservatively when other teams go out too fast, and then working in the second and third miles to make passes and keep pushing when other people are slowing down. We’re super excited for CCS and hoping to make it to the state meet!” L. Pflaum said.
Both teams will advance to compete in CCS on Nov. 15, at Crystal Springs Cross Country Course at 10 a.m. for the boys and 10:30 a.m. for the girls.
*Gaby Foster is a journalist for the M-A Chronicle.
