Rhode Island will be sending a talented group to New York this weekend for the Nike Cross Regionals Northeast in Wappingers Falls, perhaps one of the deepest lineups the state has produced, considering both teams and individuals.
Just how good is this crew? And who has what it takes to secure a spot on the starting line on Dec. 6 at Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon?
Perhaps a pair of qualifying teams? An individual champion? A few more individual qualifiers?
Yes — all are possible, and all could very well happen when the region’s best test their grit and mental toughness over five grueling kilometers on the treacherous Bowdoin Park layout.
Fresh off a state and New England title on consecutive weekends, Bishop Hendricken will be going into the meet with high confidence and a legit chance to earn an automatic qualifier for NXN by placing among the top two teams.
“Saturday, we just got to do the best we can,” said coach Jim Doyle. “We can’t worry about other teams. We got to do our job as a team.”
Hendricken will be eyeing its fourth trip out west since 2009. There’s no question the Hawks, ranked No, 2 in the Northeast, belong in the conversation. Demonstrating pack mentality throughout the season, the Hawks dominated their RI rivals this fall, capped by the State Meet where they scored just 30 points to take home the school’s 29th crown.
Continuing that momentum, Hendricken captured the New England title on a challenging 5K at Vermont’s Thetford Academy, posting a 58–87 victory over Pinkerton (NH). Doyle’s crew also notched wins at the Bowdoin Classic (NY) and the Shore Coaches Invitational (NJ). The Bowdoin Park Classic course is the same one they’ll compete on this weekend, while the Shore Invite was held on arguably the toughest 5K in the Northeast, New Jersey’s Holmdel Park.
“The thing I like about this year is we are going into this course with more experience,” Doyle said. “That was the whole purpose of going to Bowdoin Park earlier in the season—to gain experience and confidence.”
Doyle and his Hawks are aiming for their fourth trip out west since 2009. Hendricken has certainly proven it belongs in the conversation.
“We have some young guys on the line. We have a young team, with a mix of experienced runners and some standout JV athletes. We’ll be back here next year, too. Whatever happens, happens. Our goal is definitely to finish second… or first. Who knows?” Doyle added.
Christian Brothers Academy, the top-ranked team in the Northeast and No. 2 nationally, enters Saturday’s race as the clear-cut favorite. CBA dominated the recent NJSIAA Meet of Champions, scoring just 25 points with a razor-tight 31-second spread among its top five, who averaged 15:40 on the demanding Holmdel layout. Finishing second—65 points back—was Haddonfield, a squad Doyle also believes is capable of claiming a qualifying spot. The Bulldawgs, who placed fourth behind the Hawks earlier this season at Bowdoin, averaged 16:09 at Holmdel with a 1:02 spread among their scorers.
“Haddonfield is kind of back to full strength,” Doyle said. “They weren’t earlier this year. They didn’t put everybody in that first time we met them at the beginning of the season. We’ve seen them a couple of times, but they weren’t at full strength. They raced well at the Meet of Champions on a difficult course.
Pinkerton (NH), Brookline (MA) an d North Penn (PA), who are ranked 2-3-4 in the Northeast, are other solid teams that could be vying for a qualifying spot.
Bowdoin’s challenging layout begins on a wide open field that funnels into a narrow trail about 400 meters into the race. Runners must then endure a series of hills the first half of the race before a mostly downhill second half that finishes with level terrain for about the last 800 meters.
Doyle believes there is only one strategy at the beginning.
“You got to get out fast. There is no question about it,” he said. “If you can’t get out, you’re in trouble. You have to fight the first 400 meters to get position and then it narrows down, probably at 500 meters and now you’re going uphill. That’s the toughest part.”
The Hawks have some strength up front with Colby Flynn and David Hayes, who both could finish among the top-10 this weekend. The remaining harriers include sophomore Shepard Butler, senior Fred Russell, sophomore Oliver Redmond, senior Brayden Seraichyk, and sophomore Aaron Stockford.
“We have a young team. We have some experienced guys and guys that were on our JV team that are very good runners,” Doyle said. “We’ll be back there next year, too. Whatever happens, happens. Our goal is definitely to finish second…or first. Who knows?”
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Cumberland Aims For NXN Berth After Finishing Third In 2024
In last year’s girls’ race, Cumberland just missed a trip to Oregon, finishing third with 166 points—only 10 behind runner-up Champlain Valley Union (VT). Union Catholic (NJ) won with 69 points.
Union Catholic, ranked fourth nationally, is the overwhelming favorite to make it four straight appearances at NXN. The Clippers are among a small group of teams expected to battle for that coveted silver medal this weekend.
Like the Hawks, Cumberland enters with momentum. Just a week after capturing their second straight state title, the Clippers delivered an impressive runner-up finish at the New England Championships.
From the 2024 squad, Cumberland graduated two of its top three—Kiley DeFusco and Rose Tuomisto. Still, the lineup is stocked with talented returners: sophomore and newly crowned state champion CC Ludwig, senior Charli McCue, junior Gabby Stoothoff, and junior Anna Bianchi, along with freshmen Natalie Crawford, Charlotte Pryor, and Rebecca Davis.
Cumberland ranks fourth in the Northeast behind Union Catholic, Penn Charter (PA), and Champlain Valley, with Hanover (NH) in the fifth spot. Those are the squads expected to be in the mix this weekend. Also, don’t count out Lexington (MA), a recent victor in the Div. 1 race at the MIAA Meet of Champions.
“With Kiley and Rose graduating, I lost two of my top three. We didn’t just rebuild a team—we created a new one,” said head coach Kerrie Carpenter. “The ultimate goal would be to advance, obviously. To be part of the conversation for the second year in a row is great, especially with what we lost last year.”
Carpenter admits that her team’s performance at the New England’s was a strong indicator that Clippers are focused and ready leading up to Saturday’s race.
“Our focus goal was on states, so each time you level up it becomes more challenging, and more exciting. You have to put more emphasis on the details that you were working so hard on,” she said. “I think New England’s was that moment that, yes, we’re on the right track. Two years in a row, second place again with a very different team. Many of the same girls but a very different team. That certainly told us that we were on the right track and that things are clicking at the right time.”
This will be the Clippers second time tackling Bowdoin Park. On Sept. 27, Cumberland won the Varsity 2 race at the Bowdoin Park Classic, averaging a solid 19:07.2 by its scoring runners.
“As we move now for this next level of racing, we are hoping that our time when we went to the Bowdoin Classic, we are hoping that our time there will come through, Carpenter said. “We got a lot of goals and a lot of things that we’re going to try and execute on Saturday, We’ll see. Every girl will have to have their A-plus game. That’s the only way to advance, You want every girl to have a great race. That’s really where you’re at. You can’t have an off race when you’re at this level.”
With two weeks to recover from the New England’s. Carpenter feels her team is well-prepared for what’s in store on Saturday.
“They look great. They feel great. They’re relaxed,” she said. “My girls are a very fun, silly, kind-hearted group of girls, and they’re just rolling with it. They are having a good time. We need that. You need to make sure you’re just going in with a real fun, relaxed attitude. And when it’s time to get serious, when that gun goes off, we’re going to do our job.”
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Gray & Vernon Headline NXN Individuals
Individually, the Ocean State has a chance to dominate at NXR-NE. Sean Gray, who won the state and New England titles, is considered among the favorites to win this weekend. Besides his recent wins, the Portsmouth senior earned an impressive victory at the Shore Coaches Invitational where he beat several of the top runners he’ll be racing this weekend with a time of 15:42 at Holmdel Park.
Gray, who was sixth at NXR-NE last year, is running with confidence. In his victory at the New England’s, he virtually led from the start and posted a fast 15:31.1 on the rolling hills of Thetford.
“I was talking to Sean’s coach (Tuesday) night at the Track banquet and he told me that Sean is very confident,” Doyle said. “He’s looking ahead to Portland (and the nationals). He’s thinking he could contend nationally, and I believe he can. He is focused in He has no problem at all. He seems to love the hills. He’s in great shape.”
You can’t count out La Salle’s Marshall Vernon, a fourth-place finisher at last year’s meet, also comes in poised and ready to excel at Bowdoin. The Stanford signee got just the race he needed at the New England’s where placed second behind Gray at 16:09.8, a week after placing fourth at the states.
“I definitely feel I can contend for the title,” said Vernon, last week. ““Making nationals is my number one goal, but I want to race from the front. Every time I step on the line, it’s to win.”
If Hendricken doesn’t make it as a team, Flynn and Hayes are two others that have a chance to punch their tickets out west. Flynn was 12th last year after leading briefly midway into the race. Hayes has been red-hot lately, finishing third at the State Meet and fourth at the New England’s.
“(David) has an outside shot at being one of those individuals He’s running well,” Doyle said. “In David’s case, he’s getting experience, able to get the miles and he knows what he is capable of doing. Him and Colby training together makes a big difference.”
