Forest Hill Park is no ordinary course. Its notorious ski hill at mile two—straight down, then brutally back up—turns an ordinary Ohio XC race into a test of grit as much as speed. On Saturday, the boys of WRA cross country met that challenge head on, with veterans and newcomers alike leaving their mark in the program's third race of the season.
The Varsity squad was once again led on the course by junior James Johnston '27, who delivered one of the day's most commanding performances. From the start, Johnston cemented himself in the top ten and stayed there, finishing 8th overall in 17:05—a staggering improvement of nearly a full minute from last year. Behind him, sophomore Brendan Bennett '28 bounced back this week, placing 30th in 18:17 and earning recognition as the 8th underclassman across the line. Fellow junior Ian Fleming '27 followed with an 18:51, steady and strong as he settled into his role as a reliable scorer.
The middle of the lineup showcased both progress and promise. Junior Daniel Randazzo '27 ran nearly a minute faster than his time at the same course last season, crossing in 20:06 while working through the effects of last week's injury, and senior Victor Wang '26 rounded out the top five, finishing close behind in 20:21. Two runners joined the Varsity top 7 for the first time: Arav Mathur '28, who notched a personal best in 21:04—a mark made all the more impressive given the grueling nature of the course—and Grant Adams '26, who crossed in 21:11. Both added important depth, a reminder that the team's growth continues to extend well beyond its front runners.
In the JV race, the rite of passage continued as a wave of new runners tested themselves, many in their first 5k of the season. First-year Sophomore Mekhi Hoyte '28 led the way in 23:49, while ninth-graders Maverick Geraghty '29 (24:16) and Phineas Haskell '29 (24:21) impressed with personal bests in their first races. Senior Shane Deng '26 (25:52) also made his WRA cross country debut with a PR, joined by sophomores Tyler Omega '28 (25:58) and Terrence Heuschkel '28 (26:01), both of whom gained valuable early-season experience. Alex Wang '28 ran a steady 28:48, while Henry Shelton '28 (31:51) and sophomore Kendel Barber '28 (31:37) closed out the day with gritty and determined performances. Barber even somersaulted across the finish line—a reminder of the joy and energy woven into the grind.
At Forest Hill, there are no easy miles. Every runner faces the hill, and every runner is forced to decide how much they are willing to give. On Saturday, WRA answered together—with breakthroughs at the front, first steps in the back, and a team-wide toughness that marked the day not simply as a race, but as a season built on resilience.
The boys return to training this week with a renewed focus, carrying the lessons of grit and perseverance forward as they prepare for next week's challenge at Sandy Valley.
Full Results here:
https://oh.milesplit.com/meets/674360-mcdonough-xc-invitational-2025/info
Note: Generative AI helped to draft this story based on materials from milesplit.com. It was revised, reviewed and edited by the Boys' XC coaching staff.
