August 31, 2023 – Story by Ava DiCecca, photos by Joshua Ross
Boys cross country officially began training for their season in the past few weeks; however, a big part of their intended success in the upcoming year will come from the extensive preparation that started well before that. In hopes of capturing a state title this year, the boys have been training non-stop over the summer to improve their times and make themselves even stronger competitors. Running as a team both for enjoyment and to collectively enhance their skills, has given Head Coach Fred Jewett a solid group of runners that he can depend on.
Jewett named some of his strongest and most improved competitors commenting that they are “kind of in the mix with a group of about seven to ten kids anywhere from sophomores to seniors all running well.” He gave the biggest shoutout to his two-time captain and “number one runner” Brendan Burm who has been a great leader, leading by example and also having the right attitude and confidence for the job. Jewett believes that Burm and his incredibly strong Co-Captains Nico Gibson and CJ Boutin balance each other out very well and make for an incredible leadership team.
He also mentioned juniors Aaron Roberts, Ryan Burns, Connor Anderson, Aydin Beck, as well as senior Jackson Sheehan and sophomores Tom Simpson, Mitch Burm and Gavin Anderson. Being a younger team last season the focus was improvement and gaining experience, but with a lot of those underclassmen coming back as seasoned runners, they are even more determined and incredibly optimistic for a competitive and winning season. Intense training has brought them to a place where they feel confident in what they can accomplish both individually and on a collective level.
Jewett also spoke to his teams’ great attitude going into this season commenting that they are “enthusiastic and dying to get a chance to get out and compete. It’s that difference between training and having the joy of training.” They all seem excited at the chance of running at a much higher level and being able to compete against some of the tougher teams like Marshfield Duxbury. With a very action-packed start to their season and their first meet on September seventh, they have very little time to train so it will all go back to their preparation over the summer to carry them through those early meets.
Senior captain Brendan Burm was able to give a first-hand account of what this training entailed as well as some of the goals that surround this upcoming season. He stated, “As a team, we’ve been putting in a lot of miles. Six days a week we’ve been working out so it’s been pretty hard work but it should be rewarding this season.” He says they will continue to trust their coaches, their training, “and keep putting in the same work [they’ve] been putting in over the summer” in hopes that it will lead to a dominating season. He praised his teammates for their continued hard work and spoke to the positive attitude that is very present on the team, especially during those long runs. Burm believes this is an “all-around great team” with the capability and drive to make it to states as well as the determination to have representation at All States.
Jewett and Burm were united in their optimism and expectation of winning the Patriot League this year. Both stated that it was a goal of theirs just like it is any team, but they appeared very certain that this would be their year. Improvement across the board has led them to be a well-rounded team with a lot of depth, strength, and skill which has made them all the more prepared for the win that they are all striving for.
Since FIRST GRADE , I’ve known Brendan Burm to be a great kid. I’m not surprised to hear that he’s a leader on the HHS track team I look forward to following this season and this outstanding young man !❤️