Kent boys and girls cross-country achieved tenth and eleventh place finishes, respectively, at the Canterbury Cross Country Invitational. The meet took place on cool fall day, an ideal weather for a race. The clear and sunny sky had the runners in high spirits.

Kent faced the likes of prestigious running programs such as Deerfield Academy, Berkshire Academy, Taft School, Loomis Chaffee, and Hotchkiss. The race was of particular significance since a good result could serve as a benchmark for the rest of the season.

The boys varsity team was without their top runner, John LePino ’17, who has been ill with Lyme Disease since this past summer. Stewart Sykes ’17, a member of the boys varsity team, explained that the team was “missing a couple of top guys…[but] had some good improvements.” Cooper LeBlanc ‘18 was Kent’s best runner for the meet and had a thirty-ninth place finish.

JV cross-country runners Maxim Barskiy ’19, Jim Wang ’19, and Ray Cutting ‘19 also stepped up to the challenge and put up strong performances, coming in sixty-ninth, seventieth, and seventy-second, respectively.

The girls team also had a strong showing, with Lara D’Alessandro ’19 coming in fifth. Sarah Osborne ’17, a member of the girls varsity team, believes, “The team had a strong performance in comparison to the last couple years.”

Overall, the meet represented a strong start for both teams as they prepare for the RMI meet this coming weekend. The runners will continue to improve their performances as they near their final race at the NEPSTA championships in November.