At Burncoat High School, success in cross-country is about more than finishing times and race results. For the boys’ and girls’ teams, a growing group of dedicated runners is finding that improvement comes from putting in the miles, encouraging teammates and developing a shared love for the sport.
The Patriots have made significant strides this season, with the boys’ team compiling a 5-1 record entering a recent Central Massachusetts Athletic Conference tri-meet. Both teams are benefiting from a stronger group of distance runners who train together, challenge one another and celebrate each other’s progress.
For head coach Ignacio Arguello, one of the biggest changes has been the depth of the program. In previous seasons, Burncoat often relied on just one or two traditional distance runners. This year, more athletes have embraced the training and commitment required to compete.
“Now we have a distance crew of guys that love to just go out and push the miles,” Arguello said.
That commitment is producing results, both for experienced runners and those trying cross-country for the first time.
“Many of our kids are just trying the sport for the first time,” Arguello said. “We have some kids who are taking three, four minutes off their time, but then we have a lot of kids who are just learning to love the sport still, and that’s a huge improvement.”
For Arguello, the progress extends beyond the racecourse. Runners are learning the importance of consistency, communication and developing routines that will help them improve throughout the season.
The boys’ and girls’ teams train together, creating an environment in which runners of different experience levels can encourage one another.
Senior captain Griffin Spofford, one of Burncoat’s top runners, said the relationships built during practice have become an important part of the team’s success.
“During practices, we all like to run together,” Spofford said. “We do easy runs together; for all the workouts, we always stick together as a group. It’s easier to run fast when you’re running with your friends.”
Spofford has also seen the benefits of increasing his training mileage while having teammates alongside him.
“A lot of my own improvement this year has been upping mileage, just lots more miles and running lots and lots of easy miles, and doing it with a team,” Spofford said.
That same sense of camaraderie has helped shape the girls’ team.
Junior Chase Sullivan said the encouragement runners give one another can make a difference when they line up for a race.
“I think we have a really good team dynamic. We’re also very supportive of each other,” Sullivan said. “I think bringing that positive mindset into a race, your confidence can really play a large role in how you perform.”
Sullivan has put that approach into practice during competition. At a recent CMAC tri-meet, she finished sixth overall in 21 minutes, 9 seconds despite not feeling her best at the start.
She credited her ability to push through difficult moments to maintaining a positive mindset and drawing strength from her faith.
“Just overall having a good mindset, trusting in the Lord to bring me strength throughout, and continuing to push through, even as people pass; I use them as motivation to keep going throughout the race,” Sullivan said.
The boys’ team has also demonstrated how far the program has come.
At that same meet, Spofford claimed the individual victory as Burncoat narrowly lost to previously unbeaten AMSA, 29-26. The Patriots also showed improvement against Parker Charter, falling 43-20 after losing to the same team, 45-15, earlier in the season.
While the results did not produce team victories, they offered evidence of Burncoat’s growing competitiveness.
Sophomore Henry Mancevice said having strong runners at the front of the pack gives everyone else something to work toward.
“I think having a few fast runners is a really good thing; it pushes the other people on the team to match them and be just as good,” Mancevice said.
Arguello and girls’ coach Jane McNamara hope to build on that momentum as the season progresses. With runners such as Mancevice and Sullivan continuing to develop, the coaches see opportunities for further improvement.
But the program’s growth is not measured solely by individual performances or the outcome of any one meet. The runners are building a team culture centered on shared effort, mutual encouragement and the understanding that every athlete contributes.
For Spofford, that collective responsibility is what makes cross-country at Burncoat special.
“Everyone’s running their own race, and everyone knows that it’s on the whole team to get a win,” Spofford said.
