Following their success from last fall when they dominated their season with a Patriot Division win, the boys’ cross country team has picked up where they left off. 

“They’re senior heavy and they’ve put in a lot of work over the years and they’re prime to do some really special stuff,” Coach Tim Callinan of the girls’ team said. “They’ve put in a lot, a lot of work and, you know, think everybody’s excited to see what they do this year.” 

Members of this Pirate team have high hopes for what is most of the team’s last season. The team consists of mostly seniors, with 10 out of 12 of their team being seniors. 

Senior Dean Clark wants to maintain their undefeated record. 

 “We’re undefeated, and I think it’s gonna stay that way,” Clark said.

However, the title of being undefeated may present some challenges and pressure. For example, injuries. Despite some members of the team being injured, senior Matt McCarron acknowledges that they are still maintaining their streak and their hopes. 

“Well right now we have some injury problems but other than that we’re looking pretty good,” McCarron said. 

With the end of the season coming to a close, the team’s most important meets will happen in the coming weeks. These meets start at the division level and then move into Meet Of Champions. 

“At the end of the season we have divisionals, which is obviously for the division title, Burlington County Open which will be to see who the best team in the county is, then we move into sectionals, states, and Meet of Champions,” Clark said. 

With these important meets coming up, the team wants to focus on working on their personal goals. 

“[My] personal goal is to just run as fast as I can. Hopefully qualify for the Meet of Champs, through states and sectionals,” McCarron said. “[I’m] just working with my team as best as possible.” 

So far, the boys team has secured the Liberty Division title with five runners coming in the top seven of the field at the division meet. Seniors Alex Boyko, Matt McCarron, Patrick Storti, Dean Clark, and Ryan Coceano all qualified for the All Division First Team. Senior Kevin Storti also was awarded All Division Second Team. 

The Pirates also placed third at the Burlington County Open, having three runners in the top 20 and two runners automatically named to the All Burlington County First Team: McCarron and Boyko. The Pirates also placed second at the Group 2 sectional meet with Boyko placing third and McCarron placing fifth and earning a spot at the group championship meet at Holmdel Park on Saturday, Nov. 5.

As the end of the season will be bittersweet, especially for the seniors on the team, Clark recalls his days as a freshman on the team. 

“You know it’s actually sort of surreal,” Clark said. “I know it’s ironic and cliche to say it, but it feels like just yesterday that I was the freshman on the team, you know with all the seniors and like upperclassmen ahead of me.” 

With the majority of the team graduating, it will be up to underclassmen Bobby Preston and Ryan Malinowski to continue the team’s legacy next year. They’ll look to Head Coach Dan Fourney, who was recently named the Northeast Region Inspiring Coach of the year for Track and Field by the Brooks Running Company, to guide their success.