Waring Cross Country Wins the Massachusetts Bay Independent League Championship

On October 29, the Waring cross country team won the Massachusetts Bay Independent League (MBIL) Boys Championship! In addition, Adam Bererhout (‘28), Minna Brace (‘26), Jack Fawcett (‘26), and Eli Goodman Lorber (‘26) earned League All Star status for their outstanding performances throughout the season and at the Championship. Eli Goodman Lorber was recognized as a co-MVR (Most Valuable Runner) in the league. 

The outstanding accomplishment capped off a season of continued evolution for Waring cross country. Coach Molly Cyr-Redcross reports that this year’s runners have been increasingly strong for the past couple years. The main hurdle to the team’s success was its small size. In cross country, each team must field 5 runners in order to score officially, and, oftentimes Waring simply did not have the requisite 5 runners for a race. Said Molly at the conclusion of the season: “It was so wonderful to have this exciting season in which the boys always had 5 runners and it was especially gratifying to watch the team succeed so that everyone could know what [Assistant Coach] Anita Richardson and I have known all along–that these runners are really good!”  In addition to this year’s team having fast runners as individuals, they all ran strategically and worked well together by pacing off of each other, a testament to the team’s esprit de corps. The boys’ team won 3 of the 4 regular season races in addition to the MBIL Championship, and placed 6th of 22 at the NEPSTA DIV Championships in Augusta, ME on Saturday, November 8.

“Anita and I are incredibly proud of all the runners this season”, said Molly. “Their success, both individual and as a team, is the result of immense amounts of hard work and dedication. Their focus during track workouts and determination on hills is awe inspiring and the general joy they bring to running is contagious. Thank you all for another great season!” 

“Working with Molly is an absolute dream,” said Assistant Coach Anita Richardson. “Molly has cultivated a culture where commitment and whimsy are not mutually exclusive, where we expect our runners to work hard and work smart, with plenty of laughter along the way. As Head Coach, Molly keeps meticulous spreadsheets of our athletes’ times and goals. I was floored when each student received a slip of paper with their individualized race-pace goal calculated from their timed mile. Molly provides the personalized structure and consistent encouragement each athlete needs to grow in measurable ways. And boy, have our runners delivered! I’d like to shout out this class of seniors, who have set the bar high with their commitment to the sport and to their teammates. It’s rare to encounter sincere humility paired with this level of talent; we are just as proud of their character as we are of their achievements.”

Thoughts from the cross country students and MBIL league champs:

“I joined cross country because I’d been running for a while and was tired of running alone. I didn’t know how different having a team would be. Our team changed running from exercise to fun: for once sports was something I looked forward to. I love cross country because of my wonderful team and coaches: thank you all for an amazing last season!” -Minna Brace, Captain (‘26) 

“I like cross country because of how rewarding it is. I love the feeling after a race or hard practice, because I share this experience with my friends. It makes us so much closer. I also like that I am able to get to know and run with kids on other teams.” -Eli Goodman Lorber, Captain (‘26)

“I joined cross country for the challenge because I deemed it the most difficult sport offered. I like it because although I run alone, I run with and for my team.” -Pascal Fishburn, Captain (‘26) 

“Cross country is an amazing sport due to the community around it. Yes, you are competing against them, but once you finish people across teams will congratulate you and you do the same back.” -Annie Jacobsen (‘27)

“I joined cross country because I wanted to see my progress actively improve. I like running with friends and talking with them on the run.” -Skyler Bickmore (‘26)

“Cross country is a sport that keeps you coming back and truly makes you want to push yourself both for the benefit of your team and as an individual. Although it might not seem like it, cross country in my opinion is the only sport that allows you to really get to know your team and see everyone for who they truly are. On long runs, we talk to each other, get to know each other, and laugh together. On more grueling and intense workouts, we bond over the shared pain. All in all you won’t find a more united and genuine team than cross country.” -Ander Dawson (‘27)

“I love cross country for the fitness, community, teamwork, support, and that rush of joy and adrenaline when you cross the finish line at a race. There is truly nothing else like it.” -Sofia Davis (‘27)

“I joined cross country because [my brother] Eli wanted me to. I stayed for the ice cream, the great team dynamic, and all the encouragement.” -Leo Lorber Goodman (‘28)

“I joined cross country because I love running. Running is so calming and fun. Cross country feels so much more inclusive than soccer or any other sport because you never have to sit on the bench because you aren’t good enough. You can excel both as an individual and as a team. Cross country is all about how hard you train. You can’t get cheated out of a win, it’s all about how hard you work.” -Adam Bererhout (‘28)

“I joined cross country because nothing else gives me the same feeling of triumph when I cross the finish line, regardless of what time or place I get. When I cross the line I feel satisfied with everything in my life.” -Jack Fawcett (‘26)

Cross country’s roots at Waring:

The Waring cross country team evolved originally from what was once an “alternative sports” option in the late 1990’s – a mix of power-walking and light jogging for students looking for options beyond the other traditional team offerings. By the early 2000’s, the cohort of power-walkers saw an opportunity to develop into an official cross country team under the leadership of longtime co-coaches, John Wigglesworth and Tim Bakland. Waring School developed its own cross country route in the Beverly Commons, which remains one of the most challenging trails in the league to this day; and over time, and with the vision and support of Athletic Directors, Jan Lindsay and Mike Kersker, the team emerged as competitors in the MBIL, often scoring among the top several teams at meets, or showcasing front-running individual efforts on both the Girls’ and Boys’ sides: alumni Alison Davis (‘03), Jack Turnbull (‘03), Harry Otis (‘04), Brendan Pelsue (’04), Dan Veksler (’01), Nathalie Davidson (‘04), Noah Kellerman (‘07), Walker Staples (‘10), Emma MacLean (‘10), Ione Barrows (‘11), David Lovejoy (‘13), Rosie Wigglesworth (‘14), Henry Mitchell (‘15), Hans Goudy (‘15) and Ethan Wood (‘22) were among several Waring individual front-runners during the teams’ developing years. Over a 25 year period, and through a succession of wonderful coaches such as Edith Fouser, Janelle Williams, Josh Webb and Rebecca Reed, what was once an alternative sports offering for walkers developed into a championship level team, and Waring is extremely proud of the ultimate accomplishment made by the 2025 team as a whole along with their coaches, Molly Cyr-Redcross and Anita Richardon. 

Long May You Run, Waring Cross Country!