The historic Lincroft athletic program receives the Powerade Fab 50 National Championship trophy

3/8/12 – Lincroft, NJ—You could feel the buzz in the air at Christian Brothers Academy leading up to Thursday afternoon’s assembly held in the Varisty gym.

The entire student body was on hand to cheer their fellow Colts team members, as each of the Fall and Winter teams were recognized for what has been a stellar year of athletic achievments: indoor track team – state-champions; soccer team – state-champions; swim team – state-champions; wrestling team – state sectional-champions. CBA also participated in the Under Armour Finding Undeniable Challenge which aims to find the school with the most pride, determination, heart, athletic prowess, and the biggest ability to rally their community. High schools earned points by completing challenges ranging from simple tasks like uploading a photo of the school trophy case, to more difficult ones such as having the school band perform an original “Undeniable” number. The student group that coordinated CBA’s fourth place win out over 600 schools nationally were presented their commemorative banner. With the amount of spirit on hand in the Varisty gym, CBA would have ranked first for their adulation of their Cross Country schoolmates.

CBA Senior, and Student Council President Stephen Brennan’s introduction of the team says it best:

It only seems fitting that we close with the team that we arguably notice the least but expect the most out of: the Cross Country Team. They are running freshmen runs while most of us are still sleeping, and they’re running miles at Thompson park until after the sun goes down. Their commitment is obvious, and their success shows for it. This year the team racked up the following accolades:

  • Extended the national record dual meet win streak to 315 dating back to October of 1973

  • Won Monmouth County Championships

  • Won Shore Conference Championships setting a state course record for Ocean County Park as well as the fastest team average in any course in NJ history

  • Won the Parochial A State Championships with a state meet record and team average

  • Won the All Group State Championships with the fastest team time in state history at Holmdel Park

  • Won the Nike Northeast Regional meet with a meet record average

  • At the Nike Cross National Championships, CBA scored the fewest points in National history and ran the fastest team time in the history of the national championships.

For a CBA running program rich in tradition, pride, glory, and accomplishment, this group rose to every challenge, claiming numerous records and simply out willing their opponents. They ended the year as the greatest team and only national championship team in CBA history, as well as one of the greatest Cross Country teams in US history.

Steve Underwood, News Editor for Dystat/ESPNhighschool.com, and Amanda Fried, ESPN Event Operations Manager presented the trophy and medals to the Cross Country team along, while Head Coach Tom Heath addressed the CBA school community.