Adam Prudhomme
Editor
NDSS’ cross country running team saw two of its athletes medal at the KASSAA championship held Thursday as Jack Gregory captured gold and Katie Buchan earned bronze.
Both Grade 9s, they battled the soggy weather to conquer Kingston’s 5 km Little Cataraqui Conservation Area course on their way to a medal, competing against top high school athletes from across Kingston.
For Gregory the first place finish maintained his perfect season to date with a gold finish at Trinity College, a Pre-OFSAA meet and the St. Michael’s Turkey Trot.
NDSS’ novice girls cross country team, which is made up of Buchan, Vienna Balance-Hinch, Lauren Munroe, Liz Miller and Maya Bellegarde, also had a strong showing at KASSAA with their combined finishes placing them fourth overall.
NDSS’ Katie Buchan finished third in the novice girls division.
NDSS’ latest successes on the cross country course reinforces a reputation that has been building all season: Napanee District Secondary School is a now seen as a ‘running school’.
“The other schools are starting to recognize (NDSS’ strong cross country program),” said NDSS cross country coach Jody Bonsall. “The Gregory family has been instrumental in creating a running culture in Napanee. When Jack came as part of the team, he was already conditioned. Seeing someone so conditioned it kind of motivated our team members and we’ve been really impressed, especially our junior girl, Jordyn Everson, has really taken training seriously and has really improved as a runner.”
Aidan Nicholson also competed for the Hawks as an individual, running in the novice boys division.
Best of all for the Hawks is both of their individual performers who medaled are in their freshman year.
“We’re hoping to just kind of build on that and they’ll move up through the years here and be mentors for younger runners as they join the club,” said Bonsall.
NDSS’ team results represent a breakthrough for the school’s cross country program in a lot of ways. Just having four girls in the same age group on the team was something Bonsall hadn’t seen in over 15 years of coaching at the school. That’s a major step forward in itself without even taking into account their top four finish.
“With the novice girls as they crossed the line they were waiting for the rest of their team to come in so you get that team spirit and that energy when you have more than one runner competing,” said NDSS coach Lindsay Fisher.
That tight-knit bond extends beyond just the group of novice girls and is seen throughout the team. The coaches agree that team spirit has played a major role in helping to establish NDSS as a new powerhouse in the sport. Add that to the dedication they’ve shown by showing up to practice all season and its reflected well in the team’s successes to date.
The Hawks will look to continue their winning ways when they send seven runners to compete at EOSSAA, Oct. 26 in Petawawa. Runners that finish in the top four of their division at EOSSAA will qualify for the provincial championships at OFSAA, which takes places Nov. 5 in Uxbridge.