OBy Dean Vayias ’18

On Saturday, September 12, the Chaminade freshman cross country team traveled to Sunken Meadow Park to compete in their first meet of the season, the Jim Smith Invitational.  Almost thirty Flyers ran the 1.5-mile race against tough opponents from all across Long Island, including their rival, St. Anthony’s.

The team arrived just after 8:00 in the morning for the 9:45 race.  Sunken Meadow Park, already a very difficult course with many steep hills, was even tougher because of the extreme heat and humidity.  It was difficult, but the Flyers lived up to expectations.  The freshmen ran well, showcasing their speed during each race.  Strong results were posted across the board, but one runner was particularly impressive on this warm morning.  Jack Kehrli ’19 was Chaminade’s top finisher with an incredible time of eight minutes and eleven seconds (8:11), which earned Kehrli seventh place.  Of the 13 teams competing, the Flyers placed fourth overall.

Despite no first place finish by any Flyer, this meet was very successful and was a learning experience for the team. It was the team’s first time racing at Sunken Meadow, but it definitely won’t be their last, as the majority of the races will occur there.

Brendan Nicholas ’19 said, “Everyone gave it his all, but we expect better results next time. There is still a lot of practice needed.”

The freshmen hope to build on this strong performance in their upcoming events. Go Flyers!