Led by its league all-stars, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ cross country team won the Patriot League title this season.
As freshmen, Liam Cafferty, Theo Kamperides and Chris MacDonald, all competed in the Patriot League cross country championships.
What was their head coach Steve George thinking watching them run?
“I couldn’t wait until they were seniors, they would be special,” George said.
They did not disappoint. Now seniors, the trio of league all-stars paced the program to a perfect 5-0 record and its first Patriot League title since 2013.
Kamperides led the way, winning every race during the regular season and was named the League Keenan Division MVP for the second straight season.
“Theo has been consistent in practice, attentive to instruction and gives his full effort 100 percent of the time,” George said. “These traits make him an exemplary student-athlete and I’m absolutely certain of his continued future success.”
Cafferty and MacDonald, along with fellow league all-stars, juniors Gordon Johnson and Nathan Tassey, were clutch all season for W-H, especially against Marshfield. Each finished in the top-10, lifting the Panthers over the previously undefeated Rams in a nail biter, 26-29.
“It was their (Cafferty, MacDonald and Tassey’s) consistency, along with that of Theo and Gordon Johnson that made the difference this year,” George said.
And with Johnson and Tassey back in the fold next season, George said he’s optimistic the program can sustain its success.
“Gordon Johnson and Nathan Tassey will certainly be among the best in the Patriot League,” George said. “We also are expecting [juniors] Jonny Young and Collin O’Sullivan to continue their improvement. And we have a very good group of freshmen. Just like four years ago, three of those freshmen, Gavin McCarthy, Logan Bourgelas and Shane Johnson, competed in the league championship meet.”