Written By: Kayla Rosen

The Rye Country Day School Varsity Cross Country Team raced through a season full of milestones, ending on a high note at both the FAA League and NYSAIS Championships. From long daily runs to challenging hill workouts, the team’s dedication and teamwork powered them through an intense and rewarding fall season. Coach Madge Anderson reflected, “All the hard work paid off this season–much success.”

Since preseason, the runners have focused on endurance and form, setting goals to improve pacing, consistency, and overall performance. This season’s captains—Jack Slovin ‘28, Sebastian Rafferty ‘27, and Felix Mao ‘27 for the boys’ team, and Alexandra Lynch ‘27 and Willow Lane ‘28 for the girls’ team—encouraged teammates to push past limits while keeping team spirit high. Slovin shared, “Our team was really close and motivated, and we plan to keep that energy going with even more team bonding next season.” 

At the FAA League Championships on October 27th in New Canaan, CT, four runners earned medals. Emily Hau ‘29 led the girls with a remarkable fourth place finish at 19:19.3, earning FAA All-League First Team honors. Among the boys, Marshall Brown ‘28 placed fifth at 16:29.8, also earning All-League First Team honors. Slovin and Zain Ansari ‘28 secured All-League Second Team honors, placing thirteenth at 18:04.5 and fourteenth at 18:10.1, respectively. The boys’ team finished third overall, while the girls placed fourth.  

The Wildcats’ momentum carried into the NYSAIS Championship at Van Cortlandt Park on November 3rd, where Brown finished seventh and Hau placed sixth, both closing out their seasons with standout performances. Lynch noted, “It was really great to watch my teammates throughout the season. You could see their confidence build and all the improvements came together by our last 5K.”

As fall wraps up, the runners look ahead with excitement for what’s next. “We’re planning to focus on lifting and stretching so we stay healthy and run even faster next year,” Slovin said. With their talent, teamwork, and motivation, Varsity Cross Country is not just finishing strong, but they are already sprinting toward their next big season.