Stancik and McGlynn battle through a grueling race

John Albans ‘25

STAFF WRITER

The 2024 Boys’ Cross Country State Championships were a bittersweet experience for the high school’s standout runners, seniors James McGlynn and Jonathan Stancik. Both athletes had high hopes heading into the event, using a strategy that would lead them to the top of the field. Despite some challenges, the duo showed determination and made the Unionville community proud, finishing strong and reflecting on a season full of highs and lessons learned.

Leading up to the championship, McGlynn and Stancik came up with a strategy to work together. Their goal was to pace themselves in the early stages of the competition and work their way up through the pack as the race progressed. "Me and Jonny planned to run the race together until the 4k, and then race all out," said McGlynn. "We also planned to come through the mile in about 60th place and move up spots throughout the race." They planned to rely on their teamwork and experience from a season filled with rigorous training.

However, race day did not go exactly as they envisioned. Leading up to States, Stancik had been battling mononucleosis and strep throat. "Jonny was sick for the race and didn't realize how much that would affect his race," McGlynn mentioned, noting that it became clear around the 2.5k mark that something was off. As McGlynn pressed forward, Stancik began to lag behind.

Despite the obstacles, he pushed through, ultimately finishing in just over 17 minutes and in the top 100."I did alright," Stancik stated. "But all things considered with the mono and everything, I did fine." His performance, while not what he had initially hoped for, showcased his determination and refusal to give up, even while being sick.

McGlynn, on the other hand, managed to follow their race plan more closely, sticking to the strategy of advancing through the field. "I continued moving up spots until the 4k, where things stagnated," he said. He dug deep in the final stretch, catching a few more competitors before crossing the finish line in 34th place. "I feel good about what we did with the season when we saw that we had potential, although I wish we could've seen that earlier," McGlynn reflected, acknowledging both the progress that they made in the last race of their careers.

Coach and science teacher Mr. Mark Lacianca believed that McGlynn and Stancik could have finished even higher if they had been able to execute their plan together throughout the entire race. “I think they would have finished top 25 if we raced together all the way,” said Coach Lac, highlighting how competitive the field was.

The 2024 season will be remembered as one of growth and resilience for Unionville’s boys cross country team. Although the rest of the team did not qualify for the state championships, McGlynn and Stancik represented their school with pride, bringing back valuable experience for the younger runners. Additionally, Stancik noted that it was unfortunate that the whole team didn’t make it to states. “It was a little disappointing that the whole team didn't make it and it was just me and Stancik,” he shared. Yet, their individual success at the state level represents the hard work and dedication of the entire Unionville squad.

In the end, they represented Unionville, and the boys will walk away from their final season not just as runners, but as inspirations to everyone at Unionville.