This month’s mystery athlete, a junior, is currently in his fifth year on Blake’s cross-country running and track teams. Last year, he helped the cross-country team win the conference and section races. 

The athlete’s goals for the cross-country team this season are to go back to state “and perform really well,” which would put them in a position to compete against powerhouse schools like Orono and Delano. Individually, he wants to improve his best 5K time of about 17:30 by a minute. 

Teammate Romare Onishi ‘25 referenced the athlete’s positive qualities, including being a hard worker. The athlete says that he loves the “good team environment,” which has helped his enjoyment of running, both in cross-country and track. He also likes running because it’s “fun to see yourself improve,” something that’s easy since “you can just see that you’re getting faster.” 

Shamore Brinda ‘27, a teammate of the athlete in both sports, says he’s a “vital member” of both teams. The athlete and Brinda run the mile and 4x800m relay events together during track season. Brinda said the athlete is “kind,” and also referenced his intelligence, saying that “[the athlete] always has…some wisdom for [him], especially when it comes to academics.” 

The athlete will be a captain next year. Brinda believes that the athlete will be a good leader, referencing how “he’s always looking out for the younger members of the team,” and yet also is good at “keeping [them] in check.” 

Can you guess this month’s mystery athlete? Find out in our next article!