Boys and Girls Cross Country both win 2nd state championships
By Kaitlyn Perkins
After last year’s electrifying VISAA DII title victory, the girl’s cross country team was hungry for another one.
“All the Saturday practices, the speed days, the distance days, even the easy days, all led up to this moment and all of our hard work showed on that course,” Madison Ball ‘29 said.
With new additions to the team including Gabby Miller ‘26, June Bradley ‘30, Finley Patterson ‘30, Catherine Cline ‘30 and Maddy Camp ‘30, the girls knew they were poised for another state title. Kaitlyn Perkins ‘28 came in third in 19:24.00, Lillian Phillips took seventh in a brisk 19:48.40, Ainsley Myles ‘27 came in 11th in 19:57.90, Olivia Ball swooped in and took 17th in 20:45.30, and Madison Ball came in 25th in 21:25.00 as the fifth Raider finisher. Overall, the girl’s team placed 18 points ahead of the runner-up, The Covenant School, and 71 points ahead of the third place team, St. Anne’s-Belfield.
This year the eighth graders, Bradley, Patterson, Cline and Camp all stepped up to becoming a major aspect of this year’s championship-winning team. A senior, Miller, joined the team this year and has improved dramatically from beginning to end of the season, finishing in just 22:13.60 on a hilly course having only started running cross country this year. Miller’s dog, Gigi, has also become the team mascot as she attends every race and is the team’s good luck charm and cuddle buddy before races. After all, Gigi attended practically every race leading up to both team championships - coincidence: perhaps not.
The girl’s team won the state championship under the leadership of the famous Kerrigan Chaney in 2024. Going into 2025, not having Chaney around meant everybody needed to take it up a notch and going into States, and everyone took that seriously. The team has improved since last year’s States with the girls’ average 5k splits going from 20:57.76 in 2024 to 20:16 in 2025. Not to mention Chaney’s winning time brought the average down by quite a bit in 2024. In 2025 the girls also increased the points in between first and second place teams from a close 13 points in 2024 to a slightly less close 18 points in 2025.
“It was really cool winning States after having been on the team for six years and putting in so much time and work to get here,” Myles said. “It was our first time winning both state championships and I’m just so proud of our team and what they’ve done this season.”
After last year’s electrifying VISAA DII title victory, the girl’s cross country team was hungry for another one.
“All the Saturday practices, the speed days, the distance days, even the easy days, all led up to this moment and all of our hard work showed on that course,” Madison Ball ‘29 said.
With new additions to the team including Gabby Miller ‘26, June Bradley ‘30, Finley Patterson ‘30, Catherine Cline ‘30 and Maddy Camp ‘30, the girls knew they were poised for another state title. Kaitlyn Perkins ‘28 came in third in 19:24.00, Lillian Phillips took seventh in a brisk 19:48.40, Ainsley Myles ‘27 came in 11th in 19:57.90, Olivia Ball swooped in and took 17th in 20:45.30, and Madison Ball came in 25th in 21:25.00 as the fifth Raider finisher. Overall, the girl’s team placed 18 points ahead of the runner-up, The Covenant School, and 71 points ahead of the third place team, St. Anne’s-Belfield.
This year the eighth graders, Bradley, Patterson, Cline and Camp all stepped up to becoming a major aspect of this year’s championship-winning team. A senior, Miller, joined the team this year and has improved dramatically from beginning to end of the season, finishing in just 22:13.60 on a hilly course having only started running cross country this year. Miller’s dog, Gigi, has also become the team mascot as she attends every race and is the team’s good luck charm and cuddle buddy before races. After all, Gigi attended practically every race leading up to both team championships - coincidence: perhaps not.
The girl’s team won the state championship under the leadership of the famous Kerrigan Chaney in 2024. Going into 2025, not having Chaney around meant everybody needed to take it up a notch and going into States, and everyone took that seriously. The team has improved since last year’s States with the girls’ average 5k splits going from 20:57.76 in 2024 to 20:16 in 2025. Not to mention Chaney’s winning time brought the average down by quite a bit in 2024. In 2025 the girls also increased the points in between first and second place teams from a close 13 points in 2024 to a slightly less close 18 points in 2025.
“It was really cool winning States after having been on the team for six years and putting in so much time and work to get here,” Myles said. “It was our first time winning both state championships and I’m just so proud of our team and what they’ve done this season.”
By Kaitlyn Perkins
Spencer Britton ‘27 and Finn Chaney ‘27 took first and second place respectively, leading the boys cross country team to a VISAA DII title.
Britton ran a 16:22.70 in the 5k, becoming the Boys Division II VISAA State Champion. Chaney ran a 16:24.20 coming in right behind Britton, ensuring that the team captains would lead their team to a championship. Bryce Austin ‘28 finished fourth overall in a blazing 16:45.10 and Justus Horner ‘28 stole sixth in a lightning-fast time of 17:06.00. To round-out the top five boys, Kyle Brochero ‘30 ran an 18:12.00 and placed 17th overall. Together the top five varsity boys all finished with All-State accolades.
Peter Anderson ‘27, Evan Duncan ‘29, Aidan Bai ‘28, Caleb Miao ‘28, and Gabe Dickenson ‘30 all took crucial places away from the other teams contributing to the team’s win. The boys placed 32 points ahead of the runner-up, Trinity Christian School, and 56 points in front of the third-place team, The Covenant School.
“It’s definitely special to be a part of something like this but just because I won doesn’t mean I won’t stop training like I’ve never won and racing like I’ve never lost,” Britton said. “I’m still hungry for so much more.”
The boy’s team won a state championship back in 2023 but this was the first time in school history that both the boy’s and girl’s teams took home state titles in the same year.
This is also the first time in school history a boy’s athlete has won an individual state title in cross country and the first person to do so was Britton. For reference this team has improved so much that in 2023 when the boy’s team won their first championship they averaged a 5k split of 18:10.39 and placed just four close points ahead of the runner-up, The Covenant School. This year, the boys averaged a 5k split time of 16:58 and placed 32 points ahead of Trinity Christian School.
This doesn’t diminish the amazing championship the boys took home in 2023, it simply shows how far the team has come since then. And to have the boys and girls teams both win in the same year is truly special. “To be a part of one of the greatest achievements in this school’s history is an absolute honor,” Austin said, “It’s going to be amazing to see how we develop as a team over the next couple seasons, I can’t wait!”
Spencer Britton ‘27 and Finn Chaney ‘27 took first and second place respectively, leading the boys cross country team to a VISAA DII title.
Britton ran a 16:22.70 in the 5k, becoming the Boys Division II VISAA State Champion. Chaney ran a 16:24.20 coming in right behind Britton, ensuring that the team captains would lead their team to a championship. Bryce Austin ‘28 finished fourth overall in a blazing 16:45.10 and Justus Horner ‘28 stole sixth in a lightning-fast time of 17:06.00. To round-out the top five boys, Kyle Brochero ‘30 ran an 18:12.00 and placed 17th overall. Together the top five varsity boys all finished with All-State accolades.
Peter Anderson ‘27, Evan Duncan ‘29, Aidan Bai ‘28, Caleb Miao ‘28, and Gabe Dickenson ‘30 all took crucial places away from the other teams contributing to the team’s win. The boys placed 32 points ahead of the runner-up, Trinity Christian School, and 56 points in front of the third-place team, The Covenant School.
“It’s definitely special to be a part of something like this but just because I won doesn’t mean I won’t stop training like I’ve never won and racing like I’ve never lost,” Britton said. “I’m still hungry for so much more.”
The boy’s team won a state championship back in 2023 but this was the first time in school history that both the boy’s and girl’s teams took home state titles in the same year.
This is also the first time in school history a boy’s athlete has won an individual state title in cross country and the first person to do so was Britton. For reference this team has improved so much that in 2023 when the boy’s team won their first championship they averaged a 5k split of 18:10.39 and placed just four close points ahead of the runner-up, The Covenant School. This year, the boys averaged a 5k split time of 16:58 and placed 32 points ahead of Trinity Christian School.
This doesn’t diminish the amazing championship the boys took home in 2023, it simply shows how far the team has come since then. And to have the boys and girls teams both win in the same year is truly special. “To be a part of one of the greatest achievements in this school’s history is an absolute honor,” Austin said, “It’s going to be amazing to see how we develop as a team over the next couple seasons, I can’t wait!”
TWO TO TANGO: BASS SISTERS DOMINATE ON THE COURT
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Sisters Virginia (left) and Margaret (right) pose together at their August 18 media day. The players (the latter of whom is affectionately referred to as “Marge” by those on her team) reportedly excited their fellow volleyballers with the compelling concept of a “sister and sister” photoshoot. “They made the normal task of taking pictures exciting,” said teammate Nola Daninger, ‘27. “[Such as] thinking of different poses to do with everyone and keeping the energy up.” Though their demeanor is serious, a great deal of fun took place in determining which poses looked the most compelling, intimidating or otherwise exemplary of two sisters who mean business on the court. Photo by Hoa Jensen for Jensen Images.
Faith Christian walked into a game. They left caught in a Bass line.
Sisters Margaret and Virginia Bass, ‘28 and ‘30, respectively, take to the court this season as a formidable dual-threat duo. With impressive showings during their season-opening 3-0 victory over Faith Christian School, the Basses prove their ability to compete with much older and more established talent.
Bass, the elder, stunned last season as a freshman middle blocker, and looks to continue her impressive varsity career this year as an underclassman star.
Meanwhile, her sister turns heads as the only middle schooler to make the varsity team, tossing up headaches over the net as an accomplished eighth-grade setter. Fans are enamored by the sisters, and believe they could be a gateway to a new generation of players.
Remi Lewis, ‘27, one of three captains on the varsity team, agrees. Amid crowd noise and the bustle of athletic assistants at the second annual Donna Satterwhite Invitational Tournament, The Herald asked Lewis what she thought of the sisters, their talent, and their temperament.
“They’re both very positive,” Lewis said. “They’re both very similar but also very different. “Margaret is very outspoken. She's especially very positive,” she said. Margaret can often be found as one of the loudest voices both on and off the court. “Virginia is also positive, but she's a little quieter. You kind of have to break her out of her shell a little bit,” Lewis said. “I love them both so much,” she added.
As Lewis said, the two are similar, but differ on some minute details.
“We're similar in a lot of ways, but the main difference is that I'm much more type A than Virginia for certain things,” Bass said. “Her room's a lot messier than mine. She forgets chores more often than I do. But we have the same ideas about things, living in the same house, growing up with our parents, we just agree on a lot of other things.”
The sisters themselves spoke fondly of each other.
“She's really gotten a lot better with her confidence and learning her skills of volleyball through the varsity practices,” said the older sister. “I think that's really helped her.”
Bass spoke well of her older sister as well. “She really encourages me and helps me out when I'm in my head and everything like that,” she said. “She's been doing very well, she's very consistent.”
Beginning the season with a bang and a feather in their caps as the runners-up in the gold bracket for the tournament, the sisters also shared hopes for each other’s growth as players.
“I hope that she gets more confident in her setting abilities, has fun, and makes friends,” the elder Bass said.
“I hope that she gets even more playing time, and she personally feels like she's doing really well,” said the younger. “I know sometimes she gets in her head as anyone would, but I feel like she really pushes herself, and I think that she's gonna go really far. “I hope that next year and the year after she can be a captain one day, [or] just go really hard and get good stats and feel good about herself.”
So as fans watch the court, opponents would do well to keep an eye out also. Because whether you multiply, divide or add them, numbers two and nine will always equal trouble.
Faith Christian walked into a game. They left caught in a Bass line.
Sisters Margaret and Virginia Bass, ‘28 and ‘30, respectively, take to the court this season as a formidable dual-threat duo. With impressive showings during their season-opening 3-0 victory over Faith Christian School, the Basses prove their ability to compete with much older and more established talent.
Bass, the elder, stunned last season as a freshman middle blocker, and looks to continue her impressive varsity career this year as an underclassman star.
Meanwhile, her sister turns heads as the only middle schooler to make the varsity team, tossing up headaches over the net as an accomplished eighth-grade setter. Fans are enamored by the sisters, and believe they could be a gateway to a new generation of players.
Remi Lewis, ‘27, one of three captains on the varsity team, agrees. Amid crowd noise and the bustle of athletic assistants at the second annual Donna Satterwhite Invitational Tournament, The Herald asked Lewis what she thought of the sisters, their talent, and their temperament.
“They’re both very positive,” Lewis said. “They’re both very similar but also very different. “Margaret is very outspoken. She's especially very positive,” she said. Margaret can often be found as one of the loudest voices both on and off the court. “Virginia is also positive, but she's a little quieter. You kind of have to break her out of her shell a little bit,” Lewis said. “I love them both so much,” she added.
As Lewis said, the two are similar, but differ on some minute details.
“We're similar in a lot of ways, but the main difference is that I'm much more type A than Virginia for certain things,” Bass said. “Her room's a lot messier than mine. She forgets chores more often than I do. But we have the same ideas about things, living in the same house, growing up with our parents, we just agree on a lot of other things.”
The sisters themselves spoke fondly of each other.
“She's really gotten a lot better with her confidence and learning her skills of volleyball through the varsity practices,” said the older sister. “I think that's really helped her.”
Bass spoke well of her older sister as well. “She really encourages me and helps me out when I'm in my head and everything like that,” she said. “She's been doing very well, she's very consistent.”
Beginning the season with a bang and a feather in their caps as the runners-up in the gold bracket for the tournament, the sisters also shared hopes for each other’s growth as players.
“I hope that she gets more confident in her setting abilities, has fun, and makes friends,” the elder Bass said.
“I hope that she gets even more playing time, and she personally feels like she's doing really well,” said the younger. “I know sometimes she gets in her head as anyone would, but I feel like she really pushes herself, and I think that she's gonna go really far. “I hope that next year and the year after she can be a captain one day, [or] just go really hard and get good stats and feel good about herself.”
So as fans watch the court, opponents would do well to keep an eye out also. Because whether you multiply, divide or add them, numbers two and nine will always equal trouble.
Back-to-back-to-back Track and field champs
The North Cross track and field team is on their way to the state track meet as the sky gradually gets lighter. The state meet this year is hosted in Richmond, which is about three hours away for Raiders. Jonathan Mack is a new coach for the track team this year, he also lives in the dorm to take care of dorm kids. “Be downstairs at 6:30 tomorrow.” Mack said. The shortened sleep time and long bus ride are going to be big challenges for every track and field athlete. Brooklyn Chen ‘26 was the shot put state champion in 2023 and 2024. Her biggest goal this year was to defend the championship. “I struggled for the whole season and didn’t get the result that I wanted,” Chen said. “The key factor that changes everything is Kaleb Marshall.” Kaleb Marshall joined the track and field team as a coach in the middle of the season, he was a throwing athlete in high school. “He found out the problem with my throwing action in the first practice we trained together,” Chen said. “We then started to work together to fix my throwing action in daily practices, I locked in for two weeks and was thinking about my throwing action even when I was eating lunch, and finally fixed my problem right before the state meet.” Chen set up her new personal record at 37’7” in the state championship meet, and defended her championship successfully by four inches over the second place thrower.. “I think the main reason for me winning the state title again is because of my confidence,” Chen said. “I found my confidence that I lost throughout the season back once after I successfully fixed my throwing action. I really appreciate coach Marshall and every coach who has helped me along the journey, I can’t do it without them."
RAIDERS WIN 4TH TITLE IN 5 YEARS
Team gets 6th state title; beat Covenant for 3rd time this season.
Kerrigan's comeback
“I believed in Kerrigan,” Myles said, “she’s built different.”
By Kaitlyn Perkins (Photo by Morgan Kemp)
When Kerrigan Chaney ‘25 got the baton for the 1600-meter anchor leg of the mixed distance relay, she faced a 200-meter gap behind Patrick Henry and Auburn runners. Head Coach for Track and Field, Ed Dickenson, was nearly positive that Chaney, despite her incredible talent, could not close a gap that large.
The relay took place at Terrier Team Challenge Meet at William Byrd High School on April 14. The relay consists of 1200-, 400-, 800- and 1600-meter distances for a combined distance of 4000m. Kaitlyn Perkins ‘28 ran the first leg (1200m) in 4:19 handing the baton to Gabi Miller ‘26, who ran the 400m in 1:09 and then to Ainsley Myles ‘27, who ran a 3:15 for the 800m and passed it off to Chaney to carry the team home.
As soon as Myles handed off the baton to Chaney, the future UVa Cavalier flew off the line passing the 200m split in a time of 33 seconds. Dickenson worried Chaney would fall off the pace due to the raging wind and the blistering cold but Chaney possessed a great determination and tolerance for pain as well as incomparable speed.
Contradicting the many doubts that Chaney could make up the gap, Myles was confident in Chaney.
“I believed in Kerrigan,” Myles said, “she’s built different.”
Chaney continued to run at lightning speed passing multiple runners and in the last 200m caught up to the Franklin County runner showing sheer speed, mental toughness and endurance. Chaney finished the race two seconds ahead of Franklin County. Her 1600m time of 4:58 made up more than a 30-second gap and left coaches, parents and athletes alike in awe and disbelief.
“I knew how strong the girl in the lead was because I’ve watched her over a couple of years in big meets, and to give an athlete of that quality a 200m lead and expect to try to close that over four laps is more than I would expect out of any athlete,” Dickenson said. “It was the strength of Kerrigan’s performance that brought that back and allowed us to take the win in the end.”
It was the challenge of overcoming a 200m deficit that really drove Chaney.
“It’s definitely easier to run a faster time with people running ahead of me, who I can try to catch,” Chaney said.
It is not often that Chaney has runners ahead of her but when she does it motivates her to run faster so she can catch them.
“It was really nice to do it (the relay) with all my teammates,” Myles said, “Because it’s not often that we get to do it, especially distance [relays].”
Perkins, Miller, and Myles had all pushed their limits for their team during their legs of the relay but it is undoubtedly certain that without Chaney’s outstanding performance the team would not have been able to claim the victory. Though no performance was arguably as jaw dropping as Chaney’s, each team member was undeniably invaluable. The small size of the NCS Girls’ Track Team meant that if one person could not complete their leg of the relay, the relay would not have been able to compete.
“I didn’t even know that we had won until 10 minutes later when the results came out,” Chaney said, “because, like I thought, someone had finished ahead of us, so I was really surprised.”
When Kerrigan Chaney ‘25 got the baton for the 1600-meter anchor leg of the mixed distance relay, she faced a 200-meter gap behind Patrick Henry and Auburn runners. Head Coach for Track and Field, Ed Dickenson, was nearly positive that Chaney, despite her incredible talent, could not close a gap that large.
The relay took place at Terrier Team Challenge Meet at William Byrd High School on April 14. The relay consists of 1200-, 400-, 800- and 1600-meter distances for a combined distance of 4000m. Kaitlyn Perkins ‘28 ran the first leg (1200m) in 4:19 handing the baton to Gabi Miller ‘26, who ran the 400m in 1:09 and then to Ainsley Myles ‘27, who ran a 3:15 for the 800m and passed it off to Chaney to carry the team home.
As soon as Myles handed off the baton to Chaney, the future UVa Cavalier flew off the line passing the 200m split in a time of 33 seconds. Dickenson worried Chaney would fall off the pace due to the raging wind and the blistering cold but Chaney possessed a great determination and tolerance for pain as well as incomparable speed.
Contradicting the many doubts that Chaney could make up the gap, Myles was confident in Chaney.
“I believed in Kerrigan,” Myles said, “she’s built different.”
Chaney continued to run at lightning speed passing multiple runners and in the last 200m caught up to the Franklin County runner showing sheer speed, mental toughness and endurance. Chaney finished the race two seconds ahead of Franklin County. Her 1600m time of 4:58 made up more than a 30-second gap and left coaches, parents and athletes alike in awe and disbelief.
“I knew how strong the girl in the lead was because I’ve watched her over a couple of years in big meets, and to give an athlete of that quality a 200m lead and expect to try to close that over four laps is more than I would expect out of any athlete,” Dickenson said. “It was the strength of Kerrigan’s performance that brought that back and allowed us to take the win in the end.”
It was the challenge of overcoming a 200m deficit that really drove Chaney.
“It’s definitely easier to run a faster time with people running ahead of me, who I can try to catch,” Chaney said.
It is not often that Chaney has runners ahead of her but when she does it motivates her to run faster so she can catch them.
“It was really nice to do it (the relay) with all my teammates,” Myles said, “Because it’s not often that we get to do it, especially distance [relays].”
Perkins, Miller, and Myles had all pushed their limits for their team during their legs of the relay but it is undoubtedly certain that without Chaney’s outstanding performance the team would not have been able to claim the victory. Though no performance was arguably as jaw dropping as Chaney’s, each team member was undeniably invaluable. The small size of the NCS Girls’ Track Team meant that if one person could not complete their leg of the relay, the relay would not have been able to compete.
“I didn’t even know that we had won until 10 minutes later when the results came out,” Chaney said, “because, like I thought, someone had finished ahead of us, so I was really surprised.”
Kerrigan's comeback
“I believed in Kerrigan,” Myles said, “she’s built different.”
By Kaitlyn Perkins (Photo by Morgan Kemp)
When Kerrigan Chaney ‘25 got the baton for the 1600-meter anchor leg of the mixed distance relay, she faced a 200-meter gap behind Patrick Henry and Auburn runners. Head Coach for Track and Field, Ed Dickenson, was nearly positive that Chaney, despite her incredible talent, could not close a gap that large.
The relay took place at Terrier Team Challenge Meet at William Byrd High School on April 14. The relay consists of 1200-, 400-, 800- and 1600-meter distances for a combined distance of 4000m. Kaitlyn Perkins ‘28 ran the first leg (1200m) in 4:19 handing the baton to Gabi Miller ‘26, who ran the 400m in 1:09 and then to Ainsley Myles ‘27, who ran a 3:15 for the 800m and passed it off to Chaney to carry the team home.
As soon as Myles handed off the baton to Chaney, the future UVa Cavalier flew off the line passing the 200m split in a time of 33 seconds. Dickenson worried Chaney would fall off the pace due to the raging wind and the blistering cold but Chaney possessed a great determination and tolerance for pain as well as incomparable speed.
Contradicting the many doubts that Chaney could make up the gap, Myles was confident in Chaney.
“I believed in Kerrigan,” Myles said, “she’s built different.”
Chaney continued to run at lightning speed passing multiple runners and in the last 200m caught up to the Franklin County runner showing sheer speed, mental toughness and endurance. Chaney finished the race two seconds ahead of Franklin County. Her 1600m time of 4:58 made up more than a 30-second gap and left coaches, parents and athletes alike in awe and disbelief.
“I knew how strong the girl in the lead was because I’ve watched her over a couple of years in big meets, and to give an athlete of that quality a 200m lead and expect to try to close that over four laps is more than I would expect out of any athlete,” Dickenson said. “It was the strength of Kerrigan’s performance that brought that back and allowed us to take the win in the end.”
It was the challenge of overcoming a 200m deficit that really drove Chaney.
“It’s definitely easier to run a faster time with people running ahead of me, who I can try to catch,” Chaney said.
It is not often that Chaney has runners ahead of her but when she does it motivates her to run faster so she can catch them.
“It was really nice to do it (the relay) with all my teammates,” Myles said, “Because it’s not often that we get to do it, especially distance [relays].”
Perkins, Miller, and Myles had all pushed their limits for their team during their legs of the relay but it is undoubtedly certain that without Chaney’s outstanding performance the team would not have been able to claim the victory. Though no performance was arguably as jaw dropping as Chaney’s, each team member was undeniably invaluable. The small size of the NCS Girls’ Track Team meant that if one person could not complete their leg of the relay, the relay would not have been able to compete.
“I didn’t even know that we had won until 10 minutes later when the results came out,” Chaney said, “because, like I thought, someone had finished ahead of us, so I was really surprised.”
When Kerrigan Chaney ‘25 got the baton for the 1600-meter anchor leg of the mixed distance relay, she faced a 200-meter gap behind Patrick Henry and Auburn runners. Head Coach for Track and Field, Ed Dickenson, was nearly positive that Chaney, despite her incredible talent, could not close a gap that large.
The relay took place at Terrier Team Challenge Meet at William Byrd High School on April 14. The relay consists of 1200-, 400-, 800- and 1600-meter distances for a combined distance of 4000m. Kaitlyn Perkins ‘28 ran the first leg (1200m) in 4:19 handing the baton to Gabi Miller ‘26, who ran the 400m in 1:09 and then to Ainsley Myles ‘27, who ran a 3:15 for the 800m and passed it off to Chaney to carry the team home.
As soon as Myles handed off the baton to Chaney, the future UVa Cavalier flew off the line passing the 200m split in a time of 33 seconds. Dickenson worried Chaney would fall off the pace due to the raging wind and the blistering cold but Chaney possessed a great determination and tolerance for pain as well as incomparable speed.
Contradicting the many doubts that Chaney could make up the gap, Myles was confident in Chaney.
“I believed in Kerrigan,” Myles said, “she’s built different.”
Chaney continued to run at lightning speed passing multiple runners and in the last 200m caught up to the Franklin County runner showing sheer speed, mental toughness and endurance. Chaney finished the race two seconds ahead of Franklin County. Her 1600m time of 4:58 made up more than a 30-second gap and left coaches, parents and athletes alike in awe and disbelief.
“I knew how strong the girl in the lead was because I’ve watched her over a couple of years in big meets, and to give an athlete of that quality a 200m lead and expect to try to close that over four laps is more than I would expect out of any athlete,” Dickenson said. “It was the strength of Kerrigan’s performance that brought that back and allowed us to take the win in the end.”
It was the challenge of overcoming a 200m deficit that really drove Chaney.
“It’s definitely easier to run a faster time with people running ahead of me, who I can try to catch,” Chaney said.
It is not often that Chaney has runners ahead of her but when she does it motivates her to run faster so she can catch them.
“It was really nice to do it (the relay) with all my teammates,” Myles said, “Because it’s not often that we get to do it, especially distance [relays].”
Perkins, Miller, and Myles had all pushed their limits for their team during their legs of the relay but it is undoubtedly certain that without Chaney’s outstanding performance the team would not have been able to claim the victory. Though no performance was arguably as jaw dropping as Chaney’s, each team member was undeniably invaluable. The small size of the NCS Girls’ Track Team meant that if one person could not complete their leg of the relay, the relay would not have been able to compete.
“I didn’t even know that we had won until 10 minutes later when the results came out,” Chaney said, “because, like I thought, someone had finished ahead of us, so I was really surprised.”
chikwata earns first team all conference
Recently honored as First Team All Conference, Tinaishe Chikwata ‘26 never expected basketball to take her across the world, but now, as an international student from Zimbabwe, she is making a name for herself on the court.
Growing up in Zimbabwe, when Chikwata first picked up a basketball, she quickly fell in love with the sport. Her natural talent and work ethic got her to compete at a high level, catching the attention of coaches across the world.
Moving wasn’t easy. Adjusting to a new culture,
balancing sports with academics, and competing at a high level came with challenges. “The journey was hard,” she said. “Back home, basketball wasn't as competitive as here. It was easier. And I feel like, because it was home, it was more familiar.” But that didn’t stop her. “I came like something new, which was good, but it was also a bit demoralizing, because I didn't know what I was supposed to be training for, what to get ready for. But yeah, my coaches and my teammates helped me get to that stage.”
Not long after arriving, she was already known for her skills. “She cheers a lot for our team,” Mercedes Herrera ‘27 said. “And knows how to shoot really well.”
With all the hard work she put in during the basketball season, she won first team all conference. “I feel good about it. I'm very grateful and very thankful to all my teammates and my coaches, but I feel good.”
After having the very successful basketball season she now has other goals in mind. “I'm gonna be playing soccer and hopefully some travel basketball”
Outside of sports, Chikwata has a clear goal. “I always wanted to be a doctor,” she said. “And I'm trying to work towards that.”
Growing up in Zimbabwe, when Chikwata first picked up a basketball, she quickly fell in love with the sport. Her natural talent and work ethic got her to compete at a high level, catching the attention of coaches across the world.
Moving wasn’t easy. Adjusting to a new culture,
balancing sports with academics, and competing at a high level came with challenges. “The journey was hard,” she said. “Back home, basketball wasn't as competitive as here. It was easier. And I feel like, because it was home, it was more familiar.” But that didn’t stop her. “I came like something new, which was good, but it was also a bit demoralizing, because I didn't know what I was supposed to be training for, what to get ready for. But yeah, my coaches and my teammates helped me get to that stage.”
Not long after arriving, she was already known for her skills. “She cheers a lot for our team,” Mercedes Herrera ‘27 said. “And knows how to shoot really well.”
With all the hard work she put in during the basketball season, she won first team all conference. “I feel good about it. I'm very grateful and very thankful to all my teammates and my coaches, but I feel good.”
After having the very successful basketball season she now has other goals in mind. “I'm gonna be playing soccer and hopefully some travel basketball”
Outside of sports, Chikwata has a clear goal. “I always wanted to be a doctor,” she said. “And I'm trying to work towards that.”
Boys basketball reach BRAC and Visaa semifinals
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Varsity basketball beat Steward School 72-55 on Wednesday in the state quarterfinals to qualify for the semifinals tonight.
For the first time in a decade, the varsity boys are back in contention for a state title. A win in the semifinals might set up a rematch with Miller School, who is ranked No. 1. The boys last won a conference title in 2016 under Ed Green, a legendary Roanoke College coach. Raider coach Jamiel Allen played four years at Roanoke College. Jiale Qin is especially excited as one of the veterans of the team. “It’s a very very special experience, I’ve been at NCS four years, this our first time making it to the state semifinals,” Qin said, “I’m so excited, I want to hold my last chance to win a championship with my team.” |
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Soccer beats eastern mennonite on overtime goal by Mario Mitzkewitz
Spencer runs . . . Fast: Cross Country’s Record-breaking Recruit
Newbie sets new records.
Spencer Britton '27 and Finn Chaney '27 elbow bump during the first mile of the home meet on Oct. 2. Britton won in a time of 18:52 while Chaney finished second in 19:07. The boys team won the meet. Photo by Nola Daninger
By Kaitlyn Perkins
Coming in at lighting speed Spencer Britton ‘27 ran a time of 16:29 at this year’s Knights Crossing meet, setting an NCS 5k record for that race. Shortly after breaking this record, he went on to set a new personal and school record on the Allegheny course, clocking in at 16:03.
Despite it being Spencer’s first season on the Raider’s Cross Country team, he has already contributed so much, helping the varsity boys place 3rd out of 27 teams at Knights Crossing.
“Spencer just brings a good positive energy to the running environment that we are always happy to have,” teammate Harry Anderson ‘25 said, “and it's good to have someone to push with.”
“He's helping us do what we're going to do all season,” teammate Josh Miao ‘25 remarked, “and he’s just a great guy to run with.”
As far as training goes, he certainly pushes his teammates to be their best, although no one can keep up with him.
Coach Ed Dickenson had more than a few complimentary words about the team’s newest recruit.
“Spencer Britton has been a fantastic addition to our varsity XC team. Last year, he ran 16:48 for the 5k and recorded a 4:32 mile during the track season, and even before he joined our team, I could see he possessed enormous potential and drive. He fully embraces the training process, and I love his enthusiasm and friendly nature. After only training with our cross country runners for a few practices, he seemed to almost immediately become a wonderful part of the fabric of our program, as if he had been with us for years. He has already put in a major performance this fall, finishing second at Knights Crossing and setting a new school record of 16:29. It will be incredibly exciting to watch his progression as he moves through the rest of the season.”
This season, the Cross Country team is striving for a win at States, and with Britton in the top five, there's certainly a chance. At the previous Knights Crossing meet, he helped boys varsity place 3rd overall and came in 2nd individually out of 220 other varsity boys. At the Bengal’s Clash meet, Britton helped the boys varsity place 2nd overall and most recently he contributed to a 4th place and 5th place finish respectively at the Clash of the Titans and Alleghany meets.
Spencer got into Cross Country because of his dad, Coach Jeff Britton, who’s now an assistant coach on the team, and who also ran in high school. When asked who his greatest role model is he said his dad. Coach Britton is a big part of Spencer’s training, he coaches Spencer and gives him weekly training programs to maximize his speed and endurance. Now Spencer is carrying on Coach Britton’s running legacy as he takes to the hills at lightning speed.
Spencer transferred from Glenver to North Cross this year for academics and athletics. He noted that the teachers at North Cross really care about the students and that’s one of his favorite things about our school. Spencer mentioned that his English teacher, Emily Mountcastle has been an especially good teacher.
“Spencer has improved the class by his thoughtful contributions to class discussions.” Mouncastle told me. “He is smart and provides great insights.”
Spencer is looking forward to participating in indoor and outdoor track. He aspires to be a professional runner in the future and would love to be featured in the 1500m at the Olympics. His current 1600m time is 4:32. He also hopes to beat his dad’s PR in the 1600m race by running a time of 4:05. Currently, Spencer is working on getting a PR of a sub-16 minute 5k.
Spencer can be spotted hanging around campus with his teammates, Finn Chaney ‘28, Justus Horner ‘28 and Peter Anderson ‘28. You might spot him in the cafeteria on mac and cheese day, as that is his favorite food. You may see him running around campus, just make sure not to blink, or you might miss him. If you do get the opportunity to say hi to him, you should because his friends and teammates Finn and Jacob have nothing but good things to say about him.
“Just meeting with him was an instant connection, there wasn't any problems trying to get with cool him,” notes teammate Jacob Johnson ‘25. “He is always straight up and is always cool about everything. He’s just been a great teammate, a great support system, and a great person to face off with.”
Finn Chaney ‘27 sums Spencer’s character up nicely.
“He's a lot of fun and he's really dedicated to the sport.”
If you don’t have a chance to meet him he’s got TikTok, SpencerRuns.
Coming in at lighting speed Spencer Britton ‘27 ran a time of 16:29 at this year’s Knights Crossing meet, setting an NCS 5k record for that race. Shortly after breaking this record, he went on to set a new personal and school record on the Allegheny course, clocking in at 16:03.
Despite it being Spencer’s first season on the Raider’s Cross Country team, he has already contributed so much, helping the varsity boys place 3rd out of 27 teams at Knights Crossing.
“Spencer just brings a good positive energy to the running environment that we are always happy to have,” teammate Harry Anderson ‘25 said, “and it's good to have someone to push with.”
“He's helping us do what we're going to do all season,” teammate Josh Miao ‘25 remarked, “and he’s just a great guy to run with.”
As far as training goes, he certainly pushes his teammates to be their best, although no one can keep up with him.
Coach Ed Dickenson had more than a few complimentary words about the team’s newest recruit.
“Spencer Britton has been a fantastic addition to our varsity XC team. Last year, he ran 16:48 for the 5k and recorded a 4:32 mile during the track season, and even before he joined our team, I could see he possessed enormous potential and drive. He fully embraces the training process, and I love his enthusiasm and friendly nature. After only training with our cross country runners for a few practices, he seemed to almost immediately become a wonderful part of the fabric of our program, as if he had been with us for years. He has already put in a major performance this fall, finishing second at Knights Crossing and setting a new school record of 16:29. It will be incredibly exciting to watch his progression as he moves through the rest of the season.”
This season, the Cross Country team is striving for a win at States, and with Britton in the top five, there's certainly a chance. At the previous Knights Crossing meet, he helped boys varsity place 3rd overall and came in 2nd individually out of 220 other varsity boys. At the Bengal’s Clash meet, Britton helped the boys varsity place 2nd overall and most recently he contributed to a 4th place and 5th place finish respectively at the Clash of the Titans and Alleghany meets.
Spencer got into Cross Country because of his dad, Coach Jeff Britton, who’s now an assistant coach on the team, and who also ran in high school. When asked who his greatest role model is he said his dad. Coach Britton is a big part of Spencer’s training, he coaches Spencer and gives him weekly training programs to maximize his speed and endurance. Now Spencer is carrying on Coach Britton’s running legacy as he takes to the hills at lightning speed.
Spencer transferred from Glenver to North Cross this year for academics and athletics. He noted that the teachers at North Cross really care about the students and that’s one of his favorite things about our school. Spencer mentioned that his English teacher, Emily Mountcastle has been an especially good teacher.
“Spencer has improved the class by his thoughtful contributions to class discussions.” Mouncastle told me. “He is smart and provides great insights.”
Spencer is looking forward to participating in indoor and outdoor track. He aspires to be a professional runner in the future and would love to be featured in the 1500m at the Olympics. His current 1600m time is 4:32. He also hopes to beat his dad’s PR in the 1600m race by running a time of 4:05. Currently, Spencer is working on getting a PR of a sub-16 minute 5k.
Spencer can be spotted hanging around campus with his teammates, Finn Chaney ‘28, Justus Horner ‘28 and Peter Anderson ‘28. You might spot him in the cafeteria on mac and cheese day, as that is his favorite food. You may see him running around campus, just make sure not to blink, or you might miss him. If you do get the opportunity to say hi to him, you should because his friends and teammates Finn and Jacob have nothing but good things to say about him.
“Just meeting with him was an instant connection, there wasn't any problems trying to get with cool him,” notes teammate Jacob Johnson ‘25. “He is always straight up and is always cool about everything. He’s just been a great teammate, a great support system, and a great person to face off with.”
Finn Chaney ‘27 sums Spencer’s character up nicely.
“He's a lot of fun and he's really dedicated to the sport.”
If you don’t have a chance to meet him he’s got TikTok, SpencerRuns.
Cross Country’s Record-breaking Recruit
Newbie sets new records.
By Kaitlyn Perkins
Coming in at lighting speed Spencer Britton ‘27 ran a time of 16:29 at this year’s Knights Crossing meet, setting an NCS 5k record for that race. Shortly after breaking this record, he went on to set a new personal and school record on the Allegheny course, clocking in at 16:03.
Despite it being Spencer’s first season on the Raider’s Cross Country team, he has already contributed so much, helping the varsity boys place 3rd out of 27 teams at Knights Crossing.
“Spencer just brings a good positive energy to the running environment that we are always happy to have,” teammate Harry Anderson ‘25 said, “and it's good to have someone to push with.”
“He's helping us do what we're going to do all season,” teammate Josh Miao ‘25 remarked, “and he’s just a great guy to run with.”
As far as training goes, he certainly pushes his teammates to be their best, although no one can keep up with him.
Coach Dickenson had more than a few complimentary words about the team’s newest recruit.
“Spencer Britton has been a fantastic addition to our varsity XC team. Last year, he ran 16:48 for the 5k and recorded a 4:32 mile during the track season, and even before he joined our team, I could see he possessed enormous potential and drive. He fully embraces the training process, and I love his enthusiasm and friendly nature. After only training with our cross country runners for a few practices, he seemed to almost immediately become a wonderful part of the fabric of our program, as if he had been with us for years. He has already put in a major performance this fall, finishing second at Knights Crossing and setting a new school record of 16:29. It will be incredibly exciting to watch his progression as he moves through the rest of the season.”
This season, the Cross Country team is striving for a win at States, and with Britton in the top five, there's certainly a chance. At the previous Knights Crossing meet, he helped boys varsity place 3rd overall and came in 2nd individually out of 220 other varsity boys. At the Bengal’s Clash meet, Britton helped the boys varsity place 2nd overall and most recently he contributed to a 4th place and 5th place finish respectively at the Clash of the Titans and Alleghany meets.
Spencer got into Cross Country because of his dad, Coach Jeff Britton, who’s now an assistant coach on the team, and who also ran in high school. When asked who his greatest role model is he said his dad. Coach Britton is a big part of Spencer’s training, he coaches Spencer and gives him weekly training programs to maximize his speed and endurance. Now Spencer is carrying on Coach Britton’s running legacy as he takes to the hills at lightning speed.
Spencer transferred from Glenver to North Cross this year for academics and athletics. He noted that the teachers at North Cross really care about the students and that’s one of his favorite things about our school. Spencer mentioned that his English teacher, Emily Mountcastle has been an especially good teacher.
“Spencer has improved the class by his thoughtful contributions to class discussions.” Mouncastle told me. “He is smart and provides great insights.”
Spencer is looking forward to his first homecoming dance and participating in indoor and outdoor track. He aspires to be a professional runner in the future and would love to be featured in the 1500m at the Olympics. His current 1600m time is 4:32. He also hopes to beat his dad’s PR in the 1600m race by running a time of 4:05. Currently, Spencer is working on getting a PR of a sub-16 minute 5k.
Spencer can be spotted hanging around campus with his teammates, Finn Chaney ‘28, Justus Horner ‘28 and Peter Anderson ‘28. You might spot him in the cafeteria on mac and cheese day, as that is his favorite food. You may see him running around campus, just make sure not to blink, or you might miss him! If you do get the opportunity to say hi to him, you should because his friends and teammates Finn and Jacob have nothing but good things to say about him.
“Just meeting with him was an instant connection, there wasn't any problems trying to get with cool him,” notes teammate Jacob Johnson ‘25. “He is always straight up and is always cool about everything. He’s just been a great teammate, a great support system, and a great person to face off with.”
Finn Chaney ‘27 sums Spencer’s character up nicely.
“He's a lot of fun and he's really dedicated to the sport.”
If you don’t have a chance to meet him he’s got TikToc, SpencerRuns.
Cross Country’s Record-breaking Recruit
Newbie sets a new record.
By Kaitlyn Perkins
Coming in at lighting speed Spencer Britton ‘27 ran a time of 16:29 at this year’s Knights Crossing meet, setting an NCS 5k record for that race. Shortly after breaking this record, he went on to set a new personal and school record on the Allegheny course, clocking in at 16:03.
Despite it being Spencer’s first season on the Raider’s Cross Country team, he has already contributed so much, helping the varsity boys place 3rd out of 27 teams at Knights Crossing.
Look at this trophy: Spencer poses after the award
ceremony with the trophy and medal won at Knights Crossing.
“Spencer just brings a good positive energy to the running environment that we are always happy to have,” teammate Harry Anderson ‘25 said, “and it's good to have someone to push with.”
“He's helping us do what we're going to do all season,” teammate Josh Miao ‘25 remarked, “and he’s just a great guy to run with.”
As far as training goes, he certainly pushes his teammates to be their best, although no one can keep up with him.
Coach Dickenson had more than a few complimentary words about the team’s newest recruit.
“Spencer Britton has been a fantastic addition to our varsity XC team. Last year, he ran 16:48 for the 5k and recorded a 4:32 mile during the track season, and even before he joined our team, I could see he possessed enormous potential and drive. He fully embraces the training process, and I love his enthusiasm and friendly nature. After only training with our cross country runners for a few practices, he seemed to almost immediately become a wonderful part of the fabric of our program, as if he had been with us for years. He has already put in a major performance this fall, finishing second at Knights Crossing and setting a new school record of 16:29. It will be incredibly exciting to watch his progression as he moves through the rest of the season.”
This season, the Cross Country team is striving for a win at States, and with Britton in the top five, there's certainly a chance. At the previous Knights Crossing meet, he helped boys varsity place 3rd overall and came in 2nd individually out of 220 other varsity boys. At the Bengal’s Clash meet, Britton helped the boys varsity place 2nd overall and most recently he contributed to a 4th place and 5th place finish respectively at the Clash of the Titans and Alleghany meets.
Spencer got into Cross Country because of his dad, Coach Jeff Britton, who’s now an assistant coach on the team, and who also ran in high school. When asked who his greatest role model is he said his dad. Coach Britton is a big part of Spencer’s training, he coaches Spencer and gives him weekly training programs to maximize his speed and endurance. Now Spencer is carrying on Coach Britton’s running legacy as he takes to the hills at lightning speed.
Spencer transferred from Glenver to North Cross this year for academics and athletics. He noted that the teachers at North Cross really care about the students and that’s one of his favorite things about our school. Spencer mentioned that his English teacher, Emily Mountcastle has been an especially good teacher.
“Spencer has improved the class by his thoughtful contributions to class discussions.” Mouncastle told me. “He is smart and provides great insights.”
Spencer is looking forward to his first homecoming dance and participating in indoor and outdoor track. He aspires to be a professional runner in the future and would love to be featured in the 1500m at the Olympics. His current 1600m time is 4:32. He also hopes to beat his dad’s PR in the 1600m race by running a time of 4:05. Currently, Spencer is working on getting a PR of a sub-16 minute 5k.
Spencer can be spotted hanging around campus with his teammates, Finn Chaney ‘28, Justus Horner ‘28 and Peter Anderson ‘28. You might spot him in the cafeteria on mac and cheese day, as that is his favorite food. You may see him running around campus, just make sure not to blink, or you might miss him! If you do get the opportunity to say hi to him, you should because his friends and teammates Finn and Jacob have nothing but good things to say about him.
“Just meeting with him was an instant connection, there wasn't any problems trying to get with cool him,” notes teammate Jacob Johnson ‘25. “He is always straight up and is always cool about everything. He’s just been a great teammate, a great support system, and a great person to face off with.”
Finn Chaney ‘27 sums Spencer’s character up nicely.
“He's a lot of fun and he's really dedicated to the sport.”
If you don’t have a chance to meet him he’s got TikToc, SpencerRuns.
Cross Country’s Record-breaking Recruit
Newbie sets a new record.
By Kaitlyn Perkins
Coming in at lighting speed Spencer Britton ‘27 ran a time of 16:29 at this year’s Knights Crossing meet, setting an NCS 5k record for that race. Shortly after breaking this record, he went on to set a new personal and school record on the Allegheny course, clocking in at 16:03.
Despite it being Spencer’s first season on the Raider’s Cross Country team, he has already contributed so much, helping the varsity boys place 3rd out of 27 teams at Knights Crossing.
Look at this trophy: Spencer poses after the award
ceremony with the trophy and medal won at Knights Crossing.
“Spencer just brings a good positive energy to the running environment that we are always happy to have,” teammate Harry Anderson ‘25 said, “and it's good to have someone to push with.”
“He's helping us do what we're going to do all season,” teammate Josh Miao ‘25 remarked, “and he’s just a great guy to run with.”
As far as training goes, he certainly pushes his teammates to be their best, although no one can keep up with him.
Coach Dickenson had more than a few complimentary words about the team’s newest recruit.
“Spencer Britton has been a fantastic addition to our varsity XC team. Last year, he ran 16:48 for the 5k and recorded a 4:32 mile during the track season, and even before he joined our team, I could see he possessed enormous potential and drive. He fully embraces the training process, and I love his enthusiasm and friendly nature. After only training with our cross country runners for a few practices, he seemed to almost immediately become a wonderful part of the fabric of our program, as if he had been with us for years. He has already put in a major performance this fall, finishing second at Knights Crossing and setting a new school record of 16:29. It will be incredibly exciting to watch his progression as he moves through the rest of the season.”
This season, the Cross Country team is striving for a win at States, and with Britton in the top five, there's certainly a chance. At the previous Knights Crossing meet, he helped boys varsity place 3rd overall and came in 2nd individually out of 220 other varsity boys. At the Bengal’s Clash meet, Britton helped the boys varsity place 2nd overall and most recently he contributed to a 4th place and 5th place finish respectively at the Clash of the Titans and Alleghany meets.
Spencer got into Cross Country because of his dad, Coach Jeff Britton, who’s now an assistant coach on the team, and who also ran in high school. When asked who his greatest role model is he said his dad. Coach Britton is a big part of Spencer’s training, he coaches Spencer and gives him weekly training programs to maximize his speed and endurance. Now Spencer is carrying on Coach Britton’s running legacy as he takes to the hills at lightning speed.
Spencer transferred from Glenver to North Cross this year for academics and athletics. He noted that the teachers at North Cross really care about the students and that’s one of his favorite things about our school. Spencer mentioned that his English teacher, Emily Mountcastle has been an especially good teacher.
“Spencer has improved the class by his thoughtful contributions to class discussions.” Mouncastle told me. “He is smart and provides great insights.”
Spencer is looking forward to his first homecoming dance and participating in indoor and outdoor track. He aspires to be a professional runner in the future and would love to be featured in the 1500m at the Olympics. His current 1600m time is 4:32. He also hopes to beat his dad’s PR in the 1600m race by running a time of 4:05. Currently, Spencer is working on getting a PR of a sub-16 minute 5k.
Spencer can be spotted hanging around campus with his teammates, Finn Chaney ‘28, Justus Horner ‘28 and Peter Anderson ‘28. You might spot him in the cafeteria on mac and cheese day, as that is his favorite food. You may see him running around campus, just make sure not to blink, or you might miss him! If you do get the opportunity to say hi to him, you should because his friends and teammates Finn and Jacob have nothing but good things to say about him.
“Just meeting with him was an instant connection, there wasn't any problems trying to get with cool him,” notes teammate Jacob Johnson ‘25. “He is always straight up and is always cool about everything. He’s just been a great teammate, a great support system, and a great person to face off with.”
Finn Chaney ‘27 sums Spencer’s character up nicely.
“He's a lot of fun and he's really dedicated to the sport.”
If you don’t have a chance to meet him he’s got TikToc, SpencerRuns.