The 2017 varsity cross country team consistently included five freshmen out of seven runners.

Polly Canfield has been coaching varsity girls cross country for 10 years. Canfield said the varsity seven has “changed considerably. Back from the last time the team went to regionals in 2011 there was such a variety of grade levels to this year with potentially five freshmen.”

One freshman, Val Sague, stepped up and replaced the top runner who graduated last year. Canfield said about Sague and the other freshmen, “They were so good it was so clear cut and obvious.”

Sague said, “My responsibilities were just to kind of lead the pack and I feel like I had to lead the varsity team.”
Sague felt it was kind of weird to lead the team since she is younger. However her experience as a leader in middle school helped her.

Eve Kaufman has been on the team for three years now. When talking about the team last year she said, “The 6-10th spot was never like determined and it varied from race to race. It kinda created a little healthy competition between us.”

However Kaufman admits consistency would be better among the varsity team

This year consistently included the same seven people which helped the team to advance to regionals. By running together each week, the varsity team got to know their competition very well to be able to produce an effective strategy.

The freshmen proved their talent when they lead the team to third place finish at the district meet.

Last year, only one member of the girls team qualified for regionals. However this year, new team members changed the pattern of the past few years.

The boys and girls team both qualified for regionals this year for the first time since 2011.

Sague and Morgan Tropf placed second and third respectively at the district meet, which Canfield said was crucial in the girls advancement to regionals.

Kaufman said, “All five freshmen really had a good dynamic. Obviously they were our top runners and they all worked really hard. When Sague made it to states, they all practiced with her and it’s kind of like their own little family in a sense.”

Kaufman witnessed the freshmen do everything together. They all ran together and always were found sitting next to each other at team dinners. Kaufman believes their bonds with each other along with their work ethic is what made them so successful.

Leah Daher often asked to do extra sets of the workout. Canfield was often impressed by her work ethic. However she sometimes reminded Daher that she needed a break to remain healthy.

Steve Canfield, the boys varsity cross country coach, has told the team before that transition from middle school cross country to high school cross country is extremely difficult.

Sague said from middle school to high school cross country “the intensity changed a lot. It was more serious and the season was longer too.”

Sague said, “This year helped me to figure out what high school sports were so once I am a senior, it will be way easier to lead the team.”

The cross country team introduces the incoming runners to the sport every summer weekday at captain’s practices. These practices are designed to introduce the workouts and daily runs and to starting getting in shape as well as meet the members of the team.

Sague was invited to participate in indoor track last year. She believes that experience helped her be able to talk to the older kids and be comfortable with them.

From the very first day of coach practices, the runners are expected to do a lot and the expectations are very clear.

At the 2017 end of season banquet, Canfield asserted that the “fab-five” adjusted extremely well. Canfield was impressed with their work ethic and achievement. She admits that she has never had five freshmen earn a letter at one time.

Canfield said, “Cross country is all about family but it was a different family this year” because of the large amount of freshmen on varsity.