Boys claim 10th straight X-country title
MACOMB COUNTY — The Yale boys cross country team gave a historical performance at the final Blue Water Area Conference race last Tuesday, winning the Columbus Park race.
The victory gave them the outright BWAC title for the 10th season in a row. The boys got the job done at Columbus Park winning with a team score of 45, well ahead of second-place Croswell (84) and North Branch who took third with 92 points.
The Bulldogs had three runners in the top 10 finishers with all three landing spots on the BWAC All-Conference first team. Steven Foltz also earned first-team honors with his performance while Brian May was recognized as honorable mention in the BWAC. Coach Ashley Garofalo was named as the BWAC Coach of the Year.
Junior runner Brady VanConant set the Yale pace with a third-place overall time of 16:55. Freshman Noah Miller has had a solid year and capped the league competition with a seventh-place finish of 17:34 while junior Logan Carrier crossed the finish line in ninth with a time of 17:42. Yale’s Steven Foltz, a junior, crossed the line in 18:08, good for 12th place, and another freshman, Brian May, placed as the fifth-highest runner for Yale and 17th overall when he covered the course in 18:23.
Garofalo reflected on her five-year journey with the program, recalling how she first joined the staff as an assistant in 2022 before taking over the head coaching reins in 2025.
While she acknowledged that the roster does not lack skill, she emphasized that raw ability only scratches the surface.
“The talent is certainly there,” Garofalo said, “but what makes this group special is the work ethic and discipline they bring day in and day out. Their commitment to the team and to being the best is what truly sets them apart.”
That disciplined approach, she noted, serves as the foundation for the program’s sustained dominance, which includes an active run of 10 consecutive championship titles.
“Winning 10 straight championships doesn’t happen by accident,” she added. “It takes years of hard work, consistency, and a lot of young men who are willing to buy into something bigger than themselves.”
Looking at how the current squad continues to uphold that standard, Garofalo expressed deep admiration for their drive to protect the program’s history.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the effort they continue to put in,” she concluded, “and the legacy they’re carrying on.”
With their 10th title secured, the work is not done for the Bulldogs. The boys competed at Caro before lining up at the starting line of regionals in an MHSAA State Final qualifying race on Oct. 31 at Columbus Park in hopes of earning a trip to Michigan International Speedway for the state finals.
The boys varsity cross country team kept their busy week going, after winning the Blue Water Area Conference earlier in the week.
On Saturday, Oct. 24, they traveled to Caro for an invitational, finishing second behind the host Caro Tigers. Caro won the boys race with 39 points, Yale tallied 71 points for second well ahead of third place for Cros-Lex who finished with 93 points.
Two Yale runners — Brady VanConant and Noah Miller — finished in the top 10 for all competitors. Four varsity runners — VanConant, Miller, Logan Carrier and Brian May — earned medals for their performances.
Yale’s overall places and times for varsity were as follows: fifth Brady VanConant 17:03, eighth Noah Miller 17:33, 15th Logan Carrier 18:00, 23rd Brian May 18:23, 34th Steven Foltz 19:12, 37th Carter Krause 19:20 and 42nd Coby McFadden 19:33.
The JV boys team took first place with a score of 15 sweeping the top place finishes. All of the JV runners earned medals.
The overall places and times were: first Boone Sklba 18:53, second Nolan Kavanagh 19:23, third Draper McFadden 19:52, fourth Donovan Manceau 20:42, seventh Travis Olejnik 21:22, eighth Liam McAtamney 21:26 and 23rd Shane Powers 27:09.
