Cooler temperatures, earlier sunsets and fall foliage will once again serve as the backdrop for this season’s Hampshire Country high school cross country scene.
With the second week of races having already come and gone, local harriers are settling into the swing of things as the postseason meets loom in the distance.
The usual suspects of Amherst, Northampton and Hampshire will once again be among the top teams in the state this season. Specifically, both Hampshire squads will be defending state sectional champs while the Amherst girls team will look to make it three straight state sectional crowns this year. The Northampton girls expect to be right in the mix as well, having come up just short behind Amherst in the state sectional meet a year ago.
Here’s more details on each area program:
Amherst
Look for the Hurricanes to pick up where they left off from 2025 on the girls’ side. Amherst returns Ella Austin, Genevieve Dole and Marit McDonald as its core, with Anoushka Sen, Quynh Ly and Ella Jamate rounding out the varsity lineup. The ‘Canes, who will be coached by Ron Jacobs and Elena Betke-Brunswick, have won four consecutive Western Mass. titles and should be the favorites again.
The Amherst boys team brings back Calvin Miller, who is one of the top runners in the state, with a solid complimentary cast that includes Peter Nedeau and Otis Fairey, so expect the ‘Canes to be competitive all season long. Chris Gould will serve as head coach for the 32nd season. A year ago, Amherst took second at both the Western Mass. and state sectional meets.
“We have a high-quality team, but so do Northampton, Ludlow, and Longmeadow,” Gould said. “We will have to help all of the pieces fall into place at the right moments.”
Belchertown
The Orioles may surprise on the boys’ side as five of its seven runners at last season’s MIAA Meet of Champions will be back in 2026. Emmett Howard had the best finish of those returners while Ryan Toner and Cian Lindsay placed among the top-130.
The Belchertown girls squad will look for several runners to take the next step after encouraging campaigns as underclassmen last season. Serena Jones and Kylie Fitzgerald are chief among those names as the duo finished in the top-60 at the Western Mass. championships.
Easthampton
The Eagles hope to break out of the middle of the pack they’ve found themselves in of late as their young runners strive for improvement. The girls team grabbed eighth at the Western Mass meet while the boys squad placed 16th.
Easthampton’s girls team only has one senior and its expected top five of Gwen Banz, Amelia Dodge, Fern Stauffer, Sabine Ritchie, and Liana Leiva features multiple freshmen.
On the boys’ side, William Jourdain, Finley Foster, Otto Koen, Otto Ewing, and Alex Damours are expected to headline the Eagles’ varsity bunch.
“The runners have started the season strong, and I am excited to see many personal records set, broken, and re-set throughout the season,” seventh-year head coach Lisa Ritchie said. “We did well in Western Mass. and Divisionals last year, and I would love to see us even closer to the top this year.”
Gateway
Despite losing eight runners to graduation and transfers, the Gators girls’ team will likely be just as strong this year as their 10-3 record from 2025. Ava Christie enters as Gateway’s No. 1 runner after qualifying for the Division 3 state championship as an eighth-grader. Head coach Denae Dostal is back for her 11th season at the helm.
“Seniors Anya Niles and Charlotte Hansen bring strong experience while a new group of middle school runners are eager to contribute,” Dostal said.
The Gateway boys team will do their best to compete with just three runners on the roster to start the season. Meredith McGowan returns for year No. 2 as head coach.
Granby
First-year head coach Emily Fox may not have the numbers as some of her Hampshire Country counterparts, but what the Rams lack in quantity is made up for in quality.
On the girls’ side, Grace Cooney turned in a tremendous eighth-grade season, highlighted by a qualification into the Meet of Champions, while Addison Hill nabbed 28th at the state sectional meet.
Similarly, Trevor Sullivan burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2025, earning a 12th-place finish at the Western Mass. meet and a top-20 finish at the state sectional meet.
Hampshire
Until proven otherwise, expect the Raiders to be one of the best small school programs in the state again this fall. Hampshire swept the state sectional meet in both the boys and girls races last year.
The boys team went undefeated last regular season, claimed its second straight Western Mass. title and bring back a bulk of that varsity roster. Head coach Susannah Tracy is confident the Raiders will put together another successful season.
“While [we] did lose two key scoring runners to graduation, [we] return the rest of the championship team and have strong team chemistry,” Tracy said. “Owen Cubi, Hobbes O’Sullivan, Aidan Conklin, and Ben Zajac put in many summer miles. Luke Pickard, Sam Plumer, and Freddie Rizos are also looking strong in the pre-season.”
On the girls’ side, Hampshire is eager to break through during the postseason after knocking on the door the past two seasons at the Western Mass. and Meet of Champions meets. The Raiders certainly have the talent to do so with six returning runners who have been instrumental on varsity for years.
“After finishing second at Western Mass. for two straight years, and breaking into the top five at states last year, the girls are hungry for the top spot,” Tracy said. “After a strong summer of training, Kathleen Barry, Ada Corner and Brooke Hockenberry are a pack to be reckoned with. Charlotte Letendre and Charlotte Niswonger will provide solid support.”
Holyoke
The Purple Knights strive for continued development as a program this fall under head coach Fatimah Shabazz. Anthony Armstrong and Ryan Peralta Jesurum have started well for the boys team, while the girls squad continues to make strides.
Northampton
The Blue Devils won’t be satisfied with playing second-fiddle to Amherst again this fall, so watch for Northampton to make a strong push as the best large school program in the area.
Mairead O’Neil will be the catalyst for the girls’ team once more as the senior has been among the top tier of runners in the state for the past two seasons, including winning the Western Mass. individual championship last season. The varsity seven will be rounded out by five experienced runners and newcomer Maya Zink.
Northampton’s senior class will be crucial on the boys’ side as Henry Daggett, Owen Daggett and Gus Frey will be counted on to the lead the group that took 14th at last season’s Meet of Champions.
Ellen O’Neil and Caroline Clark are the Blue Devils’ coaches.
PVCICS
The Dragons look to be in a favorable spot this season as both the boys and girls teams feature top-end talent.
Grafton Tolopko qualified for the Meet of Champions for the boys team in 2025 and paces an intriguing group that also includes Kristof Knyt and Ayden Klatte.
The girls team have all of its top four runners back again, including all-stars Astrid Knyt, Ellery Maier, and Eunice Lo.
Head coach Kevin Brown returns for his eighth season in charge.
Smith Voc
Head coach Joshua Shearer has reasonable expectations for his group this season. As one of the smaller programs around, the Vikings will struggle to score well during the larger meets, however they can compete for a Pioneer Central league title. In fact, the girls team won the Pioneer Central in 2025.
Samantha Pensivy returns as the girls team’s most experienced runner while Theo Wojcik is one to watch on the boys team, per Shearer.
