The cross country team kicked off its 2025 season in late August with strong performances across the board, demonstrating significant improvement from the team as a whole and setting sights on qualifying for regionals and states this fall.

With the graduation of some great talent last year, the boys and girls teams entered this season with new energy and new focus.

They’ve set their sights on improving in conference as well as qualifying for regionals and even states. 

“We mapped out higher mileage goals this summer and actually hit them,” said junior Asher Hardis. “The results are showing now.”

Hardis, along with other top runners, senior Peter Adobamen and senior Captain Junbo Wang, lead the boys team, which has been consistently dropping times. 

On the girls’ side, senior Sasha Kheyfets opened her season with a strong showing in a Division I race at the Kenston Invitational on Sept. 6, placing in the top 30. 

“It was my first race and already close to my best time,” Kheyfets said. “There’s definitely more to come.”

The team dynamic has shifted this year. With the graduation of senior leaders such as Henrik Burda, Dirk Van-tassel and Alex Eisengart, new runners have stepped up. 

Kheyfets and Wang are this year’s captains, taking the lead at practices and team events. 

“We’re rebuilding the community,” Kheyfets said. “We’ve got about 12 new kids this year, so it’s a lot of introducing them to how we do things.”

She also mentioned the growing girls’ team, where they went from 2-3 girls last year to 7-10 this year.

Leadership has also come from athletes such as Asher Hardis and Peter Adobamen, who are helping younger runners to adjust to the season. 

Coach Jamie Lader credits their impact on the younger runners.

“They lead by example,” he said. “It’s been great to see runners like sophomore Aaron Zheng and junior Artiom Tkachenko stepping up as well.”

The team trains hard throughout the week, with two days of tough workouts–often involving mile repeats or shorter, faster intervals– and two days of long-distance recovery runs. Top athletes built up to 50-mile weeks over the summer. 

“We worked up from 30 miles to 50, then back down,” Hardis explained. “ It was way more structured than previous years.”

Early in the season, several runners are already hitting personal bests. 

Wang broke 17 minutes for the first time at the Kenston Invitational on Sept. 6, with a 16:59.14. Adobamen and Hardis have also clocked PRs in back-to-back races, and underclassmen are improving fast.

The team’s conference meet is set for Oct.  11, with regionals and possibly states on the horizon. 

“We finished third in the conference last year,” Lader said. “This year we’re aiming for second–or first.”

Kheyfets hopes to make her third trip to the state meet and beat her personal best finish of 24th place. 

“Now that we’re back in Division III, I want to place even higher,” she said. 

With strong leadership, a growing roster and major improvements across the board, the team is pacing itself well for a season of success.