The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys cross-country team claimed the Cape and Islands League championship on Saturday, finishing the season with a 5-1 record.
The Vineyarders dominated the Cape and Islands championship meet in Dennis-Yarmouth, with five runners placing in the top 11 finishers.
“We had five guys in before any other team had three,” said an enthusiastic Head Coach Joe Schroeder.
Winning the league championship has been a turnaround from the beginning of the season. The Vineyarders’ only loss of the year came in their very first league meet, but the Island team rebounded with key wins against strong teams like Falmouth and Sandwich later in the season.
“The kids got it together, and realized they could be a lot better than what the first meet showed,” said Schroeder.
The Vineyard cross-country team’s last league championship was in 2021, and last season they fell just short, placing second in the league, and barely missing out on the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament.
“We dedicated this year to taking a step forward, and kind of making more of an impression at the league meet,” said Schroeder.
The season isn’t over yet. The team is ranked No. 7 in Division 2C of the Cape and Islands League, and is preparing to kick off the state tournament on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 11 am on Northfield Mountain against 35 other teams. “We’re looking forward to this Saturday,” said Schroeder. “It’s going to be fun, but it’s going to be really challenging.”
As preparation for the state tournament, the Vineyarders are prioritizing staying healthy, and are planning on traveling to Northfield on Friday to preview the mountain course. “We are just sharpening the pencil. You can do a lot more this week to hurt your chances than you can to help,” said Schroeder.
The cross-country team also has some standout performers this season. Senior Louis Costa, the team’s No. 1 runner, led the Vineyarders all season, and freshman runner Ben Fuller has been making his mark in the Vineyard’s history books.
Fuller finished the Vineyard Invitational race in first place, and 15 seconds off the Island high school’s three-kilometer-race record held by Patrick Best, set in 2013. Fuller also set a new record for the freshman five-kilometer race time, previously held by Edison Parzanese, set in 2002. “He wasn’t even on our radar for kids joining the team,” said Schroeder. “He showed up and was ready to roll, and it has been fun to watch him develop throughout the season.”
This season, the girls team fielded only four runners, and despite not having enough for a full roster, Schroeder praised their commitment. “They are out there every day, working hard. It’s good they are building a lot of character and skills in that regard, but they still aren’t getting that team feel,” he said.
For Schroeder, cross-country running isn’t just about being a part of a team and running long distances, but also about developing skills that can benefit students throughout their entire lives.
“It’s a lifelong gift,” said Schroeder. “I think running really shows your strengths and weaknesses, and you can work on those through self-discipline and self-motivation. It really provides those skills that can be carried not just in running, but in everyday life.”
“You need grit to survive in the world these days, and if you can survive a cross-country season, you can survive a lot for sure,” he added. “We ask a lot of our kids. There’s not too many people who are running a dozen 5Ks in an 11-week period. It’s a difficult season, and the kids really respond well, and they get rewarded through their hard work. That’s the lesson they carry with them after the season is over.”
Congratulations!
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