To wrap up a fall season of early mornings and long races, the St. Thomas Cross Country team secured second place in the TAPPS 6A division championship on October 28. The Eagles narrowly missed the first-place spot by only two points and outscored the third-place team by 68.

“The weather was great for a cross country race,” head coach Nathan Labus said. “There was a great crowd for our guys, as many of their family members attended. The team was confident and ready.”

Supported by Labus throughout the season, the students also found inspiration in another influential figure before their final meet. Assistant Coach Michael Erickson called upon the motivational words of David Goggins, retired Navy Seal, ultramarathon runner, and author of Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds.

“Coach Erickson told the team about David Goggins, quoted: ‘When you think you’re done, you’re only 40% there,’” Labus said. “The mind often signals to us that we’re physically exhausted or at our limit, but in reality, our bodies still have much more capacity to push through. This 40% principle reflects the idea that we have a significant reserve of energy that we can tap into when we push beyond the limits our mind sets.”

On the morning of the championship meet, the Eagles tapped into those physical reserves to earn their second-place spot on the podium. Isaac Knape (’27) finished fifth overall in the 5000m race, clocking in at 16:42.90. Knape was recognized as a VYPE HOU Boys’ Cross Country Runner of the Year nominee.

The rest of the team followed Knape’s lead, compiling minimal points to keep St. Thomas ahead of fourteen other schools. Jaden Stephenson (’27) placed seventh, with a time of 16:47.68. Bryce Farrell (’27) secured the eleventh spot. Just after, James Glenn (’25) and Shaun Benesh (’27) finished in thirteenth and fourteenth place, respectively. Rounding out the race were David Carbajal (’26) in seventeenth and Wyatt Johnson (’25) in 34th.

“I was very proud of the work ethic of the team,” Labus said. “I appreciate all of them that made sacrifices to support their training.”

Article by Sarah Jane Redding