The Edison High School boys cross country team captured the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) White Division championship this season, finishing with a winning record and one of their strongest overall performances in recent years. The team posted multiple top-five finishes in invite and league meets. Several runners also posted some of the fastest EHS times in recent seasons, including multiple sub-18:20 finishes at divisional meets, which helped position the team for the championship. Each runner’s consistency is also shown through several athletes setting personal-best times at invitationals, setting the overall team up for success. The Eagles closed the year with consistent training, steady improvement, and team support.
According to the team members, the journey to winning the divisional title began long before race day. Preparation was simple, but extremely demanding.
“We prepared by running a lot and really pushing it during our workouts all season,” said Sohil Parekh ‘28.
Their training plan was structured to develop consistency and intensity, which can build confidence for the athletes before they head into the race.
After all this preparation, the team’s mindset entering the race was focused heavily on effort and personal improvement. “We wanted to beat our PRs and put everything out on the field,” said Parekh. That determination and grit would prove to be a vital part of every race segment, since the course is known for its difficulty. During practice, runners had to run up a hill, which is a challenge to prepare for every competition. “There’s this big hill at the end of the course, and it really sucks to run up,” said Parekh, as they were laughing this off, the team pushed together, supporting one another through this time.
Throughout the entire race, Edison’s strength did not come from one or two individuals, but the team’s unity. Teammates lined up to cheer at the start, finish, and the halfway point to keep everyone motivated and create a supportive environment. Their cohesion was so strong that even without a single defining moment, Parekh said that each player could feel that they contributed to the team’s victory.
When the results came out, the Eagles stood at the top of the White Division. For the runners, the achievement was monumental and emotional.
“It means a lot that our hard work paid off,” said Parekh.
Beyond that, the other teammates have also shared their pride in their contributions to the championship. “We worked hard all season for this race, we showed up when it mattered most and brought back some hardware for EHS,” said Niko Schneider ‘27. Schneider highlighted that other runners also felt a strong sense of responsibility and othership in the outcome of the race, especially after seeing how their efforts directly contributed to the division title.
Underclassmen also recognized the significance of this win.
“What I’ve learned from the XC team is that talent means nothing without hard work,” said Kartheek Guddanti ‘29.
When you spend every minute striving to be better than you were yesterday, you become someone who truly earns respect. This isn’t just for running—it applies to everything: your education, your physical fitness, and your mental fortitude. The only person standing in your way is the one you see in the mirror,” showing how runners learn to balance focus, discipline, and mental strength. Guddanti’s own experience reflects the team’s strive for improvement, where every runner, regardless of their grade, is pushed to become better at every practice.
“We were all really happy and proud of ourselves for being able to make history as a team. As a whole, this is probably the best our XC/distance team has been in decades, and we hope to keep the momentum going into the indoor track season, where we hope to qualify for Nationals in multiple relays,” said Bryce Hickerson ‘26. He emphasized that the combined efforts of both the trained upperclassmen and ambitious underclassmen created a new competitive edge, which drove them to victory.
“Training up for the GMCs was an incredibly arduous task, but that’s the nature of cross-country. Everyone worked their hardest, and I’m glad the results showed up in our favor. The hill at the end of the course is particularly difficult, but kudos to everyone on our team for racing hard and pushing through, and I hope we can carry on the momentum from our GMC & cross season into winter track,” said Arya Shastri ‘26. He added that the demanding training cycle brought the team together and instilled discipline to understand what it took to compete at a championship level.
Even with a division title under their belt, the athletes are already looking forward to the winter track. Most athletes have a goal to break their personal records and their sprint time, which shows how Edison’s competitive drive is far from finished. The team continues to refine their speed and endurance. “We’re ready to work hard this winter and chase our next achievement,” said Parekh.