The 2022 season for the MFS Boys’ Cross Country team will be marked as the best of all-time for the Foxes. The team finished first in the Friends League for the first time in school history, and finished second in the championship meet, following closely behind Germantown. Captains Andrew Mercantini ’23 and Vanya Weinstock ’23 led the Foxes to a 10-0 record for the season.
As a captain, Mercantini is exceptionally pleased with his team’s performance this year. “We’re 10-0, second in the Friends League; best we’ve ever finished,” he commented. Mercantini has been a critical element of the cross country team for the past four years and is extremely eager to conclude his career on a high note.
Another senior, Collin Montenegro ’23, a top runner on the team, is excited about the NJSIAA Non Public B state playoffs, and thinks they are “ready to compete against some of the top schools in New Jersey.” Montenegro said the team’s goals to prepare for playoffs are “learning and being more cautious in training, and setting the goal of winning.”
Preparing for the state playoffs is a vital time to ensure that the starting lineup, made up of seven runners, is in the best formation to win. Mercantini said, “our one through four runners are very solid,” which has shown through the team’s top 10 finishes in many races. He also stated that the “last two spots on the starting lineup will be a battle with the rest of the team to see who is willing to work hard enough to earn them.”
The format for the cross country state playoffs is different compared to other sports. Instead of having a head-to-head bracket-style tournament, the playoffs are made up of one multi-school race for the championship. Even with the tough competition, the Foxes are looking to place high and claim a spot in the Meet of Champions.
On November 5, the Foxes will have the chance to showcase their determination and hard work in the NJSIAA State Championship meet, which they’ve trained for this whole season.
Isaac Linden ’25 looks to continue in the footsteps of the current seniors and stated his satisfaction with the team’s performance this year: “I think we performed really well in many meets [and] our performance against top schools reflects our hard work.”
Linden has shown his leadership skills and proved to be an strong asset to the team. Linden, a sophomore, has placed extremely high in many races, including important FSL meets, and has been the crucial runner for the Foxes this year.
Another key runner, Mason Levens ’25, said he is extremely happy to “experience being on an amazing team like this,” but he also mentioned how he sees the future of this team: “I am expecting us to be a really strong team and [to] continue to place high in the Friends League. I think we [will] have a really strong group even after the seniors graduate.”
