Sophomore Dennis Jeffrey II stood at the starting line, taking in the hum of the crowd. “It’s a different atmosphere when you hear the crowd cheer during your race,” he said. The energy pushed him forward, a feeling he hadn’t expected when he first joined cross country as a freshman “just to try something new.” What started as a way to meet people quickly turned into a passion that kept him coming back each season.
Jeffrey originally planned to run just one season for the Boys Cross Country Team (XC), but he found himself drawn to the challenge of pushing both himself and his teammates. “We all have good and bad days,” he said, reflecting on the ups and downs of competition. Now that both the Fall 2024-2025 XC season and the Winter 2024-2025 Indoor Track season have ended, Dennis and other members of the track team look back on how the sport has shaped their high school experiences and what keeps them motivated through every race.
These last Track and Cross Country seasons were milestones for both the Girls and Boys teams, showcasing personal growth, camaraderie, and notable performances. The Girls team dominated the PSAL XC Queens Borough Championship, capturing the title victoriously and finishing 10th in the city-wide 5K XC Championship. The boys finished seventh at the XC Queens Borough Championship, but faced setbacks in qualifying for the City Championship. As Track Coach George Rio said: “We wanted to be in the [XC] City Championship but we didn’t qualify.” Additionally, while they placed ninth in the PSAL Individual XC Championship, they displayed resilience: “Progress is always gonna have its ups and downs so it is pointless to dwell over every single bad race,” said Dennis. Coach Rio said “for the indoor season we had David Kolazcko qualify for [the City Championship in] the 1000m and our 4×800 team.”
Coach Rio discussed the challenges the team faces as it prepares for competitions.
“Our main challenge is that we have no indoor track,” he said. “We have an indoor team but no indoor track. We have to practice outside when it’s cold, and if it’s too cold, we go inside in the hallways, which is a challenge in itself.” Looking ahead to the outdoor season, Coach Rio said, “I mainly look forward to the good weather and whether we can run well.”
Freshman Preston Romero said he joined the indoor track team to maintain an athletic focus and represent the school. “I feel running is something I’ve almost always been naturally good at,” he said. His indoor season has been a strong one, with practices focusing on speed and endurance, translating into personal successes at meets. “The indoor season’s been pretty good,” he said. “The meet experiences are overall really fun to watch and run in, and last meet I ran a 42.91 in the 300 meters, so I’m proud of that.” When reflecting on a bad race, Romero looks to the tapes to analyze where he went wrong. “I recall what caused my performance to not be as good as it could’ve been,” he said. “My motivation is really just knowing that I’ve performed to my potential in meets before, and that’s very reassuring to me.”
For sophomore Natalia Piszczatowski, joining the track team last year was an easy decision after volleyball didn’t work out, “I wanted to participate in a sport, and track was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she said. Piszczatowski quickly found herself embraced by the welcoming and supportive environment of the team. “It’s just a very wholesome environment,” she said, emphasizing how the camaraderie among teammates made all the difference. This season, she’s experienced significant personal growth. “I’ve had a lot of PRs this season,” she said. “I’m so proud of myself and my team—we all did amazing. I can see us going to States in a couple of years.”
Shaw Williams, a junior, joined the team in his freshman year after seeing many of his friends join. “I wanted to get fit, and I’m glad I did,” he said. Like Piszczatowski, Williams has also seen a lot of improvement. “It’s been really good—I’ve gotten a lot of PRs and achieved many goals I set for myself.” Despite battling illness that sidelined him for weeks, Williams bounced back. “Cross country helped me with my endurance for the 600 and 800 meter races, and I hope to get many more PRs next season and hopefully go to Nationals.”
For senior Uttam Nath, this season was a wistful farewell to his high school XC and indoor track career. Reflecting on his time with his team, he said, “There were a few mishaps this season, like a stick pass during my race, but you learn from your mistakes, and I’ve grown a lot.” He said that this final season was physically demanding, but his love for the sport made every challenge worth it. “It’s very bittersweet,” he said. “I’ll carry a lot of memories with me from the past three years. I’ve enjoyed every last bit of it.”
As the indoor track season came to a close with the final meets— the PSAL City Championship and the Frosh/Soph Championship—the energy among the athletes was intense. The lessons learned from past races, and the determination to finish strong motivated the THHS track team to end their season on a high note, setting the stage for the upcoming 2024-2025 Outdoor Track Season
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