On the morning of November 8th, the cross-country team will set the tone for EA Day. In the past few years, bouts with EA have been uphill battles. This year, the team is looking better than ever.
“This has been the strongest year since I’ve been on the team,” Sixth Form captain Jack Ford said. “If you look at the average times between the top seven varsity guys at the state championships, it was the lowest time for any Haverford School cross-country team in the last nine years.”
“We’ve got the best freshman squad we’ve ever had.”
Mr. Brian Long
The team isn’t only strong at the top, though; the strength of the team runs deep.
“We’ve got the best freshman squad we’ve ever had,” Head Coach Mr. Brian Long said. “We’re really excited to see what they can do against EA, but also for them to get experience on EA Day for the first time.”
Beating EA’s team is no small accomplishment, as they have consistently been competitive.
“EA has a very strong team this year,” Ford said. “They won [second place at] the independent state championships, otherwise known as PAISAA, and they won the InterAc championship.”
Regardless, the team has been hard at work, capitalizing on the home-field advantage.
“We’re doing more speed work because our home course is much flatter,” Mr. Long said. “We’re dropping down our volume and starting to taper and get ready to peak for the end of the season.”
“I was excited by what the team was able to accomplish this year, and I hope we are able to meet expectations for EA Day.”
Nate Gill ’26
For many runners, EA Day will be much more than just one of the last races. Instead, it is something far more meaningful: an opportunity to represent the grit, dedication, and work it takes to be a Haverford cross-country runner against one of Haverford’s biggest rivals.
“I was excited by what the team was able to accomplish this year, and I hope we are able to meet expectations for EA Day,” Sixth Form captain Nate Gill said.
Other runners echoed this sentiment.
“For cross country, EA Day is truly special because it’s the culmination of what the boys have been working toward all year,” Fifth Former Thomas Lentz said. “There are months of summer training that go into preparing for the season, and to be able to lay it all out there against EA on EA Day is just an electric feeling that encapsulates the spirit of what cross country is about.”
Victory or loss, the result of EA Day is largely overshadowed by pride for the team’s talent and work, which in itself is commendable.
“No matter the result, we’re always gonna be proud of these guys,” Mr. Long said. “They’ve worked so hard since May, preparing for this day. Especially for our seniors, it’s a great way for them to capstone their entire four years at Haverford on the track, at home, in front of their classmates.”
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