Mike Katz is quite optimistic about his team’s chances this season. The head coach of the Barrington High School boys cross country team said his roster is loaded with top-end talent. 

“This could, should be the strongest team I’ve ever had,” Katz said during an interview last week. 

Katz said Barrington has had strong teams in the past, teams that finished second in the state or third. But this year’s team, he said, has a legitimate chance of winning the state championship. Well, it did before Bishop Hendricken picked up four blisteringly fast runners in the off-season — Katz said Hendricken landed four runners who are all top-20 in the state. 

Despite the talented Hawks roster, Katz is still feeling good about his team. He added Brooks Mello to the roster — Mello was one of the top distance runners from the track team. He previously played soccer at Barrington High School, but is focusing on running this year. 

“He becomes one of the favorites to win the state championship — one of the top five,” Katz said. This is the first year Mello is running cross country. 

In his first cross country meet, Mello finished first overall. He followed that up with another win, capturing the top overall spot at the Highland Park Invitational in Attleboro, Mass. 

“He’s real good,” Katz said. 

Meanwhile, the Eagles also return their top runner from last year’s team: Colby Napolitano. The hard-charging runner led the Eagles all last year, and finished seventh at the state championship race. 

Ryan Hurlock, an All-State runner last year, is also returning to the Eagles’ roster this fall. 

“He’s been running very well,” said Katz. “The problem for us is that we don’t have the depth.”

Following Mello, Napolitano and Hurlock are some solid, but less experienced runners, said Katz. He mentioned Calvin Mentzer, Jack Williamson, and Brady Martin. Katz said senior Austin McCarty will also help the Eagles this season. 

“He did very well in track in the spring,” Katz said of McCarty. “He did well in cross country last year.”

Barrington High School freshman Finn Evans also performed well in the freshman Injury Fund meet.

Katz said he recently read an article about the Hendricken team, in which the author stated the new additions to their roster make them unbeatable. He said the author wrote that even if half the Hendricken team was sick, they still would not get touched at the state meet. Katz said he made his team aware of the article, and hope it serves as motivation.

Numbers game

Barrington High School boasts one of its biggest cross country teams ever this year. Katz said there are 48 runners on the roster. Some, he said, are very serious runners, while others are not quite there yet. 

“The guys who are serious about running, are very serious,” he said. 

Katz said this year’s team, like previous years, brings a competitive spirit each day. 

“There’s never been a boys team that’s not competitive. One of the issues at practice is to not be so competitive,” he said. 

Katz continually stresses a smart approach to training — when to be super-competitive, and when to listen to your body. 

“They are so focused on their times,” he said. “Some of the guys have to go an extra mile…”