Boys’ Cross Country Defeats Andover 29-27, Securing Fourth Straight Undefeated Season, Going for Title

Chilly winds and icy rain set the mood for PEABXC’s race against their greatest nemesis this past Saturday. As usual, the boys heroically held off their opponent, defeating Andover 29-27.

This victory marks the fourth consecutive undefeated season for boys’ cross country. It is nearly unheard of for a team to accomplish such a feat, and the boys will forever go down as legends in the history books.

However, the win was by no means a walk in the park, and the team dramatically pulled away by a mere two-point margin. In such a tight race, where every point counted, the entire team had to buckle down and make it hurt. There was no room to back down.

Seniors Quincy Tichenor, Max Larnerd and Ryan Betz fearlessly led Big Red’s attack on Andover, but Betz gives due credit to Exeter’s fourth and fifth runners for helping them pull off the win. “Holden Hammontree ‘15 and Peter Luff ‘16 really stepped in at the end. They held their opponents off and ultimately made the difference between winning and losing,” Betz said.

“Holden Hammontree ‘15 and Peter Luff ‘16 really stepped in at the end. They held their opponents off and ultimately made the difference between winning and losing.”

The boys also performed spectacularly in their JV race, which holds good news for the future of the team.

"The JV boys took a huge leap towards defending their championship with incredible performances from a number of runners, including Nolan "Pure" Peacock '17," Hammontree said. Lowers Cam Corso and Jiro Mizuno also dominated the race with Peacock, and together the boys finished 1-2-3, respectively.

After a win against Andover and another undefeated season, the team has only one more thing to check off their to-do list: come back from Hotchkiss as New England Champions for the fourth year in a row.

Achieving this will not only cement PEABXC’s position as the greatest program in NEPSTA history, it will also attract a fan base that will swarm the hard-working boys if they come out victorious. It will be no easy task, however.

The last time Exeter attempted to achieve a four-peat in 2006, their crown was cruelly taken away by Andover. This year, Andover seems to be Exeter’s toughest opponent once again, and the historical rivalry between the two teams will undoubtedly add fuel to the fire that drives Big Red to win. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that the boys of PEABXC will give Andover the satisfaction of taking away their historic four-peat. They want it far too much to lose.

The team has already established that they are a force to be reckoned with, as they have been undefeated in dual meets for the past few years. They just need to make sure to have a lot of energy and a lot of focus on race day, and the victory will be theirs.

If all goes according to plan, the boys will depart Exeter on Saturday and return the following evening as men, as legends.