This year, our Cistercian track team made significant improvement overall, with several members of the team also reaching phenomenal individual success. Our goal for this season was to at least “not be dead last,” and we successfully managed to meet our goal, and come in 10th place overall at SPC.

After a rough start at our first meet, we were successful at a meet at Oakridge, with several runners achieving points for our team. However, the meet ended well after sundown, with most of the team finally getting to leave at around 10. After practicing during Spring Break, we continued to reach our own goals, as we prepared for the Cistercian meet. Thanks to the efforts of our phenomenal coaching staff, the meet was finished in record time, and we (luckily) placed well.

Then came the toughest meet of the year. This was the JP II meet consisting of 21 teams and some of the most elite runners we’ve ever had to face. Multiple tornado warnings ending up causing us to spend half an hour waiting in the JPII weight room, before the meet was cancelled entirely. The rest of the meets served as qualifying meets for SPC so that the runners with big dreams could accomplish their goals and qualify for the championship.

SPC rolled around, and so did the storm clouds. Schedules were changed and races were moved back, but even with these difficulties, we were still able to place in the Top Ten. Contributing factors were the 4×400 team running astoundingly, as well as Ben Fitzgerald (’18) placing fourth as a thrower. This year’s track season exceeded expectations and we were all able to leave it proud of our many accomplishments. Coach Burke did an incredible job with his first year being head coach, and the addition of several freshman runners helped the season’s success. We’d like to thank all the parents, students, and faculty that supported us, and we hope to continue striving for excellence next season and shatter this year’s success with even better results.