The cross country team wrapped up their season on Saturday, Nov. 15 where they placed 22 out of 23 teams at the state finals.

While it wasn’t the team’s best showing, coach Joe Schroeder is proud of the team’s hard work.

“The kids have been performing well all year,” he said. “It’s not that we weren’t ready, it’s just a lot. But no excuses. We’re looking forward to being there next year so that’s going to be an exciting ride.”

Overall, the season was a big success. The team only lost one meet on the way capturing the Cape and Islands league championship, their first since 2021.

Throughout the season, Coach Schroeder instilled the mentality of finishing close together, especially in the middle of the pack, to help the overall point total.

“Sometimes, it’s really the [runners who are] 4th, 5th, 6th that are so important to your team’s success,” he said. “To see that aspect of our team development was great. The kids bought into that and finally realized why that’s so important.”

Though the season is over, the running doesn’t stop. The annual 5K for KJ will be held Saturday, Nov. 29, beginning at 10 a.m. This race follows the cross country course and honors Kevin Johnson, a former runner who lost his life in a car accident in 2004. Money raised goes towards the Kevin Johnson Cross Country Scholarship Fund, which is given to graduating seniors in the cross country and running programs in June.

This year, there will be a 3K walk option offered as well, so that more people can participate.

“I thought the best way to memorialize him and his contributions to the team was to have a race in his honor,” Coach Schroeder said. “It’s a good way of giving back to the community which [Kevin] was all about. He was a team guy. We really thought it was important to honor him in that way.”

For more information about 5K for KJ run, visit runsignup.com/Race/MA/OakBluffs/5KforKJ.