South Kent School’s Cross Country team earned an impressive victory on October 15, 2025 at the Wooster Invitational, delivering one of their strongest collective performances of the season under the leadership of Head Coach Father Steve Klots and Coach Bill Whittaker.
Father Klots reflected on the team’s achievement, crediting the win to both preparation and teamwork, “It helped that it’s been two and a half weeks since our last race. We had our best workouts of the year during this time, and I sensed we were on the brink of something special,” he said. “Overall, it was a great team effort. Nearly everyone ran their best race of the year. The results speak of their hard work, and I’m proud of them for that.”
Leading the Cardinals was Ryan P. ’27, who claimed first place overall, a particularly satisfying result after finishing second to Wooster’s top runner earlier this season.
“Ryan lost to the top runner from Wooster by about twenty seconds in our last race,” Father Klots explained. “But this time, he finished about seven seconds ahead of him. Improvement like that comes through hard work.”
Ben S. ’27 also turned in an outstanding performance, finishing fourth overall, while the entire team contributed to a dominant showing that demonstrated both conditioning and composure.
The Cardinals’ success was measured not only in times and medals, but also in character. Wooster Coach Ellyn Wilkinson shared her admiration for the team’s sportsmanship and class,
“Your team was outstanding! Every single one of your athletes thanked me and shook my hand after the race, such a thoughtful and respectful gesture. It was noticed and appreciated by many of the spectators as well. Their character is a true reflection of your leadership and the culture you’ve built.”
Looking ahead, South Kent is eager to carry this momentum into the Marvelwood Invitational next week, where many of the same teams, including some who edged out the Cardinals earlier in the season, will compete again.
“We’re looking forward to the Marvelwood Invitational,” Father Klots said. “Many of the same teams will be there, including some who beat us earlier in the year. It’ll be interesting to see how we do against them.”
With their mix of talent, determination, and camaraderie, the Cardinals are hitting their stride, just in time for the most exciting stretch of the fall season.
“I’m proud of these boys,” Father Klots added. “They’ve worked hard, supported each other, and represented South Kent with pride and humility. We’re looking forward to finishing the season strong and having some fun along the way, like at the annual Kent Pumpkin Run on October 26th.”
