Brookline Cross-Country Keeps Eyes Forward

The Brookline boy's cross-country team is only halfway done with its season, but the team has its collective eye on what seems to be an elusive state title.

The Warriors have been one of the top-tier teams in the state for the past few years, but have failed to take the title home since 2007, when most of the contributing seniors were just onlookers to one of the most successful teams in the history of Massachusetts running.

The motivation to duplicate that success is there, according to senior Andy Triedman.

"For a lot of the guys, since we haven't won one when none of us ran on the team, it definitely is a factor," said the senior captain.

Brookline has been off to a good start this year, winning all its Bay State Conference dual meets and making strong finishes in a few of the out-of-state New England meets.

The team is built on the junior class, but the depth offered by Triedman and other senior leaders has given coach Micheal Glennon options when he wants to rest his top guys to keep them fresh for the all-important state meet at the end of November.

"Our depth really is great," said Glennon. "Better than I thought it was going to be. We have a group of seniors that are challenging for the fifth, sixth and seventh spots. I thought they would be in there but they are right in the hunt for those spots."

The 2007 team will always be a barometer for anyone that follows the Warriors cross-country team, but to compare this team to that record-setting team would be big shoes to fill.

"People know about that team and they measure themselves against that team," said Glennon. "But that team was one of the best teams in the history of the state. They scored the lowest total points in the state meet ever. Everyone tries to reach up to that.

"I think any comparison would be unfair. It's hard to live up to that, but we are really good."

Seeing that team succeed was part of the reason why Romey Skalar joined the team after his sophomore season. Skalar is one of the senior leaders for Glennon this season, but he said that he hasn't had to speak up about getting guys ready for a race.

"I think people are pretty self motivated, so it hasn't really been too difficult," said Skalar. "Everyone has been pushing the other person ahead of them to go faster to help the team. So it's not too difficult. I think everyone is kind of focused on the one goal. There's a little bit of you want to lead, but everybody is driven enough that it is not necessary."

The Warriors still have a number of Bay State dual meets remaining on the schedule, and they have yet to lose a dual meet in almost five years. The Warriors also travel to Rhode Island for the Brown Invitational on Oct. 16.