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Varsity Cross Country: A Season In Review
Despite injuries early on in the season, the cross country team enjoyed a considerable amount of success.
There were high hopes for the St. Luke’s varsity cross country team this season. With a team full of experienced runners, on both the girls and boys sides, a successful season looked imminent. However, as is the nature with distance running, injuries plagued the team from the outset. The team’s star runners, Claire Wilson ‘18, Will Foster ‘17 and Ian Smith ‘17, suffered injuries early on in the season, and their ability to participate in races seemed unlikely. However, thanks to the talents of St. Luke’s training staff, the runners were ultimately able to run, and run well in many races.
By the time the FAA championship race rolled around, which was held in familiar territory for the Storm at Waveny Park, the team was running smoothly on all cylinders. The race was the high point of the Storm’s season. With a healthy roster, the team finished 6th out of 7 teams. While this might not seem impressive, the Storm had a smaller team that almost every other school. With that in mind, the result was certaintly a success. Among the standout performaces was Will Foster’s 4th place finish, Ian Smith’s 27th place finish, and Will Berger’s ‘19 34th place finish. Their times were 17:25, 19:17, and 20:01 respectively. On the girls side, Claire Wilson finished 5th overall, and Olivia Mao ‘16 finished 50th. Their times were 20:36, and 29:48 respectively.
The cross country team has always been a relatively small program at St. Luke’s. However, under the leadership of head coach Corliss Spencer, the team is extremely tight knit. Spencer said, “Everyone is supportive of one another. It’s great to see.”
St. Luke’s is one of the smallest schools in the FAA. As a result, the depth of the team does not compare to the likes of Brunswick, Greenwich Academy, or Greens Farms Academy. However, what the team lacks in numbers, it makes up in team chemistry. There is rarely any negativity during practices, or during races. So, while the team did not finish in the top three this year, the members of the squad worked hard to fulfill their personal goals. Every runner improved their times in the 5k through hard work and dedication and that, says Spencer, “is a victory in and of itself.”
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Leading with Humanity curriculum builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
