Boys Cross Country Shines at Vermilion Invitational, Prepares for Cooley Mile

The Steele Boys Cross Country Team had an outstanding showing at the Vermilion Invitational on Saturday, placing 2nd overall out of 17 teams. The team entered the meet with the goal of packing up and running together, and they accomplished that in both the varsity and JV races.

In the varsity race of 99 runners, senior Asa Nicely led the way with a 3rd place finish in 17:10. Freshman Jackson Strawn (13th, 17:54) and sophomore Cale Miller (14th, 17:59) worked closely with freshman Carter Banyas (16th, 18:03) and sophomore Elias Nicely (17th, 18:03), putting five Comets in the top 17 — all earning medals. Senior Matthew Walker (25th, 18:16) and sophomore Nolan Cislo (31st, 18:41) rounded out the scoring seven, while senior Paul Cherney (44th, 19:24) and junior Nicholas Lauer (58th, 19:40) added depth to the squad.

The JV team also put together a strong effort, placing multiple runners in the top 20 of their race, which featured 58 competitors. Junior JJ Gedling took 2nd place overall in 19:29, while sophomore Zyden DeMercurio finished 5th in 20:15. Junior Chase Lahetta (7th, 20:19) also brought home a medal, and junior Elijah Bonilla (12th, 20:39), freshman Owen Cooksey (14th, 20:52), and freshman Hayden Cuevas (15th, 21:25) all ran well to secure the team’s depth.

Next up, the Comets will compete in the Cooley Mile on Monday, October 6th, at the Richard S. Cooley Track. This special event is named in honor of Richard S. Cooley, a longtime Amherst teacher and coach whose impressive career included 36 Conference Championships, 5 State Champion runners, and 2 State Champion teams. The night will conclude with a senior night celebration, honoring the team’s graduating athletes.

The Comets look to carry their momentum from Vermilion into this community-centered event and beyond as they approach the championship portion of the season.