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Above: Xavier freshman cross country team.

Sports Update: Cross Country Sweeps at Sectionals; Varsity Football Ends on a Strong Note 

By Billy Malewich ’12

Last time I wrote about our cross country teams, they had just traveled back from Upstate New York, where they ran in one of the most prestigious races in the nation. A little over a month has passed since their travels, but the results seem to be the same. For the first time in history, the team won all four races at Sectionals and the Combined City Championships. The dynamic freshman duo of Oliver Branham-Upton ’20 and Ethan Rice ’20 finished first and second, respectively, to lead the freshman team to its third title in Xavier history. The Freshman B team, led by Matteo Marchesi ’20, James Verrengia ’20, and Aidan Long ’20 were able to score a perfect 15 to dominate their race.

Up next was the Junior Varsity team, which dominated their race as well, with all due respect to their opponents. The Xavier men were able to claim seven of the top eight places in the 2.5-mile race. Conor Anderson ’19, Michael O’Brien ’19, Jerardo Perez ’18, Matt Mirto ’17, Alex Vitarelli ’18, and James Lunny ’17 all finished in under 15 minutes while Zion Lewis ’18 just missed the sub-15 mark.

Last but not least, the Varsity took the line. Giancarlo Cipri ’17, Sawyer Gwyn-Rowsom ’18, and Josef Oettl ’18 claimed three of the top four spots, all finishing in under 13 minutes, 20 seconds. The finish propelled Xavier to edge out St. Peter’s Boys and Regis for the championship. I was able to ask head cross country coach Patrick Dormer P’17 about the success of his team over the weekend. He noted, “The team has worked so hard this season. It was great to see success on so many levels. It seems that we are coming together at the right time. I am very excited about what the younger members of the team can do this coming weekend in the Intersectional championships, and of course I cannot wait for the meet on November 12 when we take on the Long Island Schools.” Big congratulations to all of the runners on the cross country team.

Finally, the Varsity Football Knights were able to win their final regular season game against the Kellenberg Firebirds. The defense pitched a shutout for the first time this season, winning 12-0. The Knights look to carry their recent successes into the playoffs as they take on Christ the King in the CHSFL AA playoff rematch from earlier this season when the Knights fell to the Royals, 24-12. The Junior Varsity is also gearing up for a rematch from the regular season as they take on St. Joseph by the Sea. The Knights were able to emerge victorious in their regular season matchup, 19-6.

The Freshman Knights look to finish their season with a winning record as they take on Mount St. Michael in the Bronx on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The JV will be playing Saturday, November 5, at 10 a.m. at Marine Park, while the Varsity will be competing on Sunday, November 6, at 1 p.m. at Franklin K. Lane Field in Brooklyn.

For all information, news, and updates about the Xavier cross country teams, please visit: http://departments.xavierhs.org/athletics/xaviertrack/index.htm. For information, schedules, and results from football, please visit http://departments.xavierhs.org/athletics/football/index.htm.