NTL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: ATHENS RETURNS STRONG FOURSOME; 'EXCITED' FOR 2024 SEASON (2024-09-03)

Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Athens returns its top three runners from last year, and brings back a senior who took last year off, and that has boys cross country coach Mike Bronson very optimistic heading into the 2024 season.

Bronson is pleased with his team’s numbers in 2024.

“We are at 12 boys, which is about what we have averaged over the last several years.  

I’m happy with our numbers, we’ve been pretty consistent in the 12 to 14 guys range for the last five or so years,” said Bronson.

“We can score a full varsity and JV team,” he noted. “I would certainly love to have more boys out, but looking around it seems like lots of teams, in a lot of different sports are seeing a drop in their numbers, so I’m pretty pleased to be staying consistent.”

Bronson says all signs are positive heading into the 2024 season.

“We have a good group this year,” he said. “They had a pretty good summer, everybody is healthy, and they have been training well in the pre-season.

“We have a good solid group of four, we just need figure out who is going to be the 5, 6, and 7 runners,” Bronson noted.

“We have a pretty experienced group of boys, they have all been in the program now for at least a couple of years, so they know how we do things,” added Bronson.

The Wildcats return sophomore state qualifier Graham Wanck, and fellow sophomores Matt Rossettie and Jacob Shores, and senior Ethan Hicks, who was one the team’s top two runners as a sophomore.

Athens also brings back seniors Aiden Oldroyd, Pierce Oldroyd, and Gehrig Thurston, sophomore Ryder Morley, junior Andrew DeForest, and senior Lohith Kinthala.

The newcomers are freshmen Darius Miller and Ian Garrison.

“We return our top three from last year — Graham Wanck, Matt Rossettie, and Jacob Shores, who are all just sophomores,” said Bronson. “They were kind of forced into being leaders last year and gained really good experience.

“We also have Ethan Hicks back with us after taking last year off,” noted Bronson. “He ran as our number one or two runner two years ago and has quickly gotten back to where he was.

“Seniors Aiden Oldroyd, Pierce Oldroyd, and Gehrig Thurston have all been in the top seven in past seasons.

Ryder Morley has been looking good in workouts, and Andrew Deforest and Lohith Kinthala have been working hard and have improved from last year,” added Bronson.

What are Bronson’s expectations for 2024?

“Every year my big expectation is for the boys to be as competitive as they can be, that might look a little different each year, but our focus is always the same, compete as hard as we can,” he said.

“I think this group of boys can be really good and compete well in the league and at the district level.

“We are still pretty young up front with Graham, Jacob, and Matt so I think all three of them have a lot of room to grow and develop this season,” noted Bronson. “Ethan Hicks being back with us definitely gives us more depth and gives us a senior with good experience up in that front group.

“We are focused on getting a little bit better each week and being ready to run our best at the end of October. We have a couple of big invites we’re going to — McQuaid and Paul Short, which I think will help the boys be more comfortable with big, competitive fields like they’ll see at Districts,” continued Bronson.

“As a team, we want to place as high as we can at the NTL Coaches Invite and then at Districts.

“Graham qualified as an individual for states last year as a freshman, he then had a great track season setting the school record in the 3200, so I think qualifying again and being in the mix for a medal at states this year is very realistic,” he said.

“I’m excited to get the racing part of the season started to really see where we are,” added Bronson.

AROUND THE NTL: “The NTL is always competitive,” said Bronson.

“Every team has tough guys, so we don’t have any meets that we can take lightly.  

“I think in the large school division, Troy and Towanda are the top teams,” he added. “We’ll go out each week, race hard and try to beat as many teams as we can.”

Athens opens the 2024 season this afternoon at Round Top Park against NEB and Towanda.

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IN PHOTO: Athens sophomore Graham Wanck. … VSR STOCK PHOTO.

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