Sophie Han ’27
Oct 3, 2025
Family Weekend gave Blue Storm cross country teams the chance to race on their home course, celebrate progress, and look ahead to MAPLs.
For the girls, the meet carried special meaning. “I liked running on our home course because it was Family Weekend, so it was nice seeing everyone cheer me on,” said Maddie Chu ’27. Captain An Yan ’26 added, “The home meet is a chance to build connections.”
Assistant coaches Christopher Bright and Mariana Manzo Puente said, “Team support is very important. This weekend, we cared less about speed and more about keeping them healthy and having fun.”
The season’s earlier races built this confidence. Girls' head coach Betsy Cunningham said, “Frankfurt was our first race, and Gabby broke her own course record from last year. At Peddie, six girls broke the course record that had stood for more than a decade. Gabby ran 18:10 and Ella ran 18:51.”
Teresa Nyarko ’28 also saw progress: “My time difference from last year’s first race to this year’s was four minutes. With the team’s support, it made me believe this season will go well.”
Captains have helped guide that improvement. “I always get nervous before races, but with the captains’ help, the team pushes past that mental block,” said Gabby Cechini ’28.
Cunningham said, “In every race, varsity is there for JV and JV is there for varsity. Even with separate races, we’re a unified team.”
Fellow captain Ella Blanco ’26 added, “The previous captains did so much for me, and I hope to do the same this year,” adding, “The Peddie course was mostly flat and gave us confidence for MAPLs there.”
The boys shared similar experiences. James Coors ’27, who dropped 58 seconds for a personal record, said, “We’ve been cheering a lot. On long runs, it’s nice to have someone to run with.”
Captain Liam Beighley ’26, who won on Family Weekend, reflected, “It went good. Ended up with the course record and a 94-second win. Additionally, though, I rolled my ankle and had to slow down.” Earlier in the season, he also broke the Peddie course record. “When I came to Mercersburg, my two goals were to give back more to the team than when I arrived and to stay healthy.”
Leadership has been central to the boys’ progress. Captains Imangali Zhakan ’26 and Frederick Wu ’26 emphasized, “Last year, I was focused only on MAPLs. This year, as a captain, it’s also about team culture and making sure everyone gets what they deserve is a fulfillment of being in a team.”
Joey Cechini ’28 added, “The team is smaller this year, but that made connections easier. In practice, we push each other, and the bus rides back are always fun.”
Boys head coach David Grady acknowledged the challenge ahead: “The goal has always been to try and win MAPLs. But cross country is vulnerable to injuries, so we teach them to be smart about how they run. We definitely have a good shot, and racing at Peddie again will give Liam and the team another chance at fast times before the season ends.”
Assistant coach Harvey Hinman took a more philosophical view: “Running is incredible because the only thing you need are a pair of shoes. Whatever this season builds to, I hope they find joy in it and carry that with them for life.”