Hopkinton’s girls’ cross country team is entering the season as defending champion and has won five of the last seven Division III titles to cement itself in the upper echelon of varsity running.
The team graduated four of its top seven runners last year, but still has high hopes for the season. Two-time defending D-III champion Maddy Lane is entering her junior year and preparing to lead the Hawks, accompanied by starting teammates sophomore Maisie Emerson and junior Lucy Beardmore.
Coach Rob Rothe noted that many of the incoming runners, Rose Afflerbach, Gwen Buelte, Hannah Clarner and Elli Gregory, have worked hard over the summer to prepare.
In many ways, it’s a rebuilding year, but in cross country, newcomers can make a big impact as they get in rhythm.
“When you lose four of your top seven in a small school, you never know what’s going to happen. But this is Hopkinton, and it’s just a special place. People, athletes just are there,” he said.
Similarly, the boys’ team, which was young and somewhat inexperienced last year, is looking to build on its foundations. Led by sophomore Max Goupil, the team has plenty of room to grow as it progresses.
It is returning six runners, none seniors, and after a sixth-place finish last season, it is gearing up to improve. The boys were D-III champions two years ago, and although that may be a high bar to shoot for, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities.
“It was a super new team last year, so a little bit of growth, and it’s definitely stronger this year. Looking forward to that as well,” Rothe said. “It’s going to be an interesting year. Some years you get a real good feel for things, but this is one of those years where you kind of see how it plays out.”
All summer, Rothe has been aided by the popular running app, Strava, to track his team’s progress, and is looking forward to seeing how the season unfolds.
Most of Hopkinton’s meets are on weekends and allow for a very consistent training schedule and plenty of time to find a solid rhythm before a very important October stretch.
The last three weeks of the season, the Hawks will travel to Thetford, VT, the site of the New England regionals, then return home for a meet on the 11th and finish the regular season at Merrimack Valley for the Capital Area meet.
At the beginning of every season, Rothe has his student-athletes fill out questionnaires to learn about their goals. He follows each runner’s goals and the development of whatever weaknesses they listed, and as long as everyone works together, he expects another successful season ahead for the Hawks.
Concord
Division: I
Coach: Zach Procek (boys, seventh year) and Chris Beyer (girls, second year)
Last year: Boys 10th; Girls fourth
Returning starters: Boys: Josiah Conley, sr.; Spencer Clemans, so.; Ethan Harmon, so. Girls: Mahalie Burdette, jr.; Quinn Doherty, jr.; Gianna Gualtieri, jr.; Maddie Short, sr.; Bella Komorek, sr.; Clover Doperalski, sr.
Top newcomers: Boys: Conor Fennessy, fr.; Will Magee, fr. Girls: Gracy Henry, fr.
Outlook: Boys: “The team is on the way up. The history of CHS cross country has always had big swings. Only a few years ago, we went on a tear of four wins in a row, followed by a close second place. In keeping with our history and that of many of the top D1 teams in our state, we went through a lull for a couple of years after that, but we are on the way back up. At 33 athletes, we have one of the biggest rosters we’ve had in recent years. Between our returners and incoming talent, we are looking to close up our 5-man gap, consolidate our points, and take a shot at a top 5 placement as a team this year.”
Girls: “I feel we are stronger than we were last season. I can already tell our top 7 will be much tighter and our five-person gap will be much smaller. I am optimistic that this season’s team will extend its eight-year streak of making the Meet of Champions. There is certainly potential for the team to make a return to New Englands.”
Teams to beat: Exeter, Pinkerton, Bedford
Bow
Division: II
Coach: Kate Kretschmer (boys, fifth year), David Niemaszyk (girls, fourth year)
Last year: Boys seventh; Girls 10th
Returning starters: Boys: Wyatt Worcester, sr.; Sam Kohl, so.; George Kohl, so.; Ian Sandahl, so.. Girls: Maya Owen, sr.; Madelyn Fish, jr.; Julia Hou, sr.
Top newcomers: Boys: Ryan Pawlowski, fr.; Gavin Simon, so.; Ian Fellers, fr.; Elijah McArdle, fr.; Jack Puro, fr.. Girls: Alexis Matheis, fr.
Outlook:
“We’ve got a young, motivated team with several returning runners. Everyone is ready to learn more about the sport and are excited for the season to start,” — Kretschmer.
“We have an incredibly positive group who is ready to work this season. This will be somewhat of a rebuilding year, as we graduated more than half of our team last year, however our top runner, Julia Hou, is poised to go deep into the season this year,” –Niemaszyk
Teams to beat: Boys: Hanover, Coe-Brown, Oyster River, Souhegan, Milford.
Coe-Brown
Division: II
Coach: Lucas Fisher (boys, third year), Brooke Laskowsky (girls, third year)
Last year: Boys second; Girls 5th
Returning starters: Boys: Benjamin Jobin, jr.; Benjamin Larson, so.; and Patrick Youngs, so. Girls: Annabelle Lovett, jr.; Meredith Kerivan, sr.; Eloise Hill, so.; Olivia Zadakis, sr.
Top newcomers: Boys: Gus Glaser, jr.; Broden Cox, fr.; Mateo Ferguson, fr.; Samuel Youngs, fr. Girls: Hilary Wennberg, fr.; Riley Trested, fr.; Lily Travis, fr.
Outlook:
Boys: “This team is going to look to make some waves in the division and the state. They are a really young team with no seniors in their top seven. They are going to be led by a great group, which includes Ben Jobin, Ben Larson, and Patrick Youngs. The team was also able to add another promising junior with Gus Glaser. Plus, add three freshmen who had great middle school XC careers with Broden Cox, Mateo Ferguson, and Samuel Youngs.”
Girls: “The Coe-Brown girls cross country team expects to build on the momentum from last year’s fifth-place finish at divisionals. They are entering the new season with high energy and determination. With strong returning upperclassmen and promising new talent, the team is focused on growth and reaching new accomplishments together. “
Teams to beat: Hanover, Oyster River, Souhegan.
John Stark
Division: II
Coach: Joel Kress (boys, fourth year), Syd Barnes (girls, first year)
Last year: Boys 14th; Girls ninth
Returning starters: Boys: Austin Patenaude, sr. Girls: Anna Chasse, jr.
Outlook: “John Stark has a few perennial top-notch runners, led by Austin Patenaude and Anna Chasse. In addition, our numbers are strengthened by the addition of track runners. A strong recruiting Freshman class is exciting for the next several years, but don’t count us out this year to be competing to move on to the Meet of Champions.”
Merrimack Valley
Division: II
Coach: Brian Reynolds (boys, fourth year), Dyrace Maxfield (girls, first year),
Last year: Boys 10th; Girls eighth
Returning starters: Boys: Ben Geoffroy, jr.; Nate Bain, sr.; Ben Newton, sr.; Jonathan Degges, jr. Girls: Lily Moser, sr.; Nicole Geoffrion, sr.; Reagan Jefferson, jr.; Emily Baca, jr.; Tessa Lynch, sr.; Emma Geoffrey, so.
Top newcomers: Boys: Rohan Chevalier, fr.; Garrett Clough fr. Girls: Brylee Flood, fr.; Illianna Wesson, so.; Elysium Partridge, fr.; Susanna Miller, fr.
Outlook: Boys: “We return 4 strong runners from last year. If we can stay healthy we have a chance to contend for the last spot to the Meet of Champions.”
Girls: “The team returns a strong core group and is looking to rebuild and improve with a new group of freshmen and sophomores. The team has been working hard and is excited for our first meet of the season.”
Teams to beat: Hanover, Oyster River, Plymouth, Souhegan
Pembroke
Division: II
Coach: Alaine LaRochelle (third year)
Last year: Boys 17th; Girls DNS
Returning starters: Boys: Hayden Petersons, sr.; Caleb Saturley, sr. Girls: Caitrin Bergeron, so.; Jasmine Blake, sr.
Top newcomers: Girls: Delana Girouard, fr.
Outlook: “The team is looking forward to an exciting 2025 cross country season with a full boys and girls roster ready to run. Building on the momentum from 2024—when PA was represented at the Meet of Champions for the first time in a decade, and for the first time in 20 years by a female athlete—the team is bringing great energy and focus into the new year. With a strong group of seniors leading the way, we are eager to see what this season will bring.”
Bishop Brady
Division: III
Coach: Bill Heath (24th year)
Last year: Boys 15th; Girls DNS
Returning starters: Boys: James Harangic, sr.; Lee Putnam, sr.; Earl Mitchell, jr.; Tyler Mooney, jr.; Jason Condodemetraky, jr. Girls: Sophie Chimienti, jr.; Tess Lavoie, sr.; Eloise Burns, so.
Hillsboro-Deering
Division: III
Coach: James MacCabe (Second year)
Last year: Boys 22nd; Girls DNS
Returning starters: Keegan Poland, Sr.; Marshall Brien, Jr.; Sarah McGranaghan, Jr.; Louis Neal, Jr.; Logan Willet, So.
Outlook: “Despite the departure of our top runner, the team is focused on coming together and building depth across the roster. Our goal this season is to improve consistently, develop younger athletes, and stay competitive in meets through strong teamwork and determination. Our strength lies in our work ethic and team chemistry, while our biggest challenge will be stepping up to fill the gap left behind.”
Teams to beat: Hopkinton, Fall Mountain, Mascoma.
Kearsarge
Division: III
Coach: Peter Hattan (second year)
Last year: Boys 19th; Girls 13th
Returning starters: Boys: Cooper Hedderig, sr.; Blake LaMothe, jr. Girls: Ainsley Frenkiewich, sr.; Annelise DelGrosso, jr.; Riley Raynes, jr.
Winnisquam
Division: III
Coach: Adam Coyle (fourth year)
Last year: Boys 20th; Girls 16th
Returning starters: Cullen Desrochers, so.; Lazar Arbutina, so.
Top newcomers: Eloise Abbott, fr.; Eliza Allen, fr.
Outlook: “This is the largest the team has been in several years and we are working towards functioning as a unit and doing everything we can to work as a team. We have been studying the Belgian cyclist Wout Van Aert and trying to adopt his attitude/essence/aura of being both a champion rider and a dedicated teammate, asking the question, What Would Wout Do?”