NTL CROSS-COUNTRY: NEB LOOKING TO DEFEND THEIR TITLES IN 2025 (2025-08-21)

Northeast Bradford cross-country comes in riding high after claiming two league titles last year, while the boys also won the Class A District IV championship. However, both teams have holes to fill as they look to keep their streak of NTL titles going.

It will be a big change for the boys’ team, in particular, which saw four of their top five runners graduate, and with just one senior in Russell Martin.

“We lost a lot of guys, a lot of seniors, but I’m still excited for what’s coming up,” said coach Dillon Lockwood. “In some ways it’s a little easier. I’m a newer coach to the program, so you don’t have as many of the old habits to try to break and change, but at the same time, it’s a lot of youth, and you just never know what’s going to happen.”

One of those newcomers is freshman Josiah Russell, who can’t wait to get going.

“I’m probably an eight out of 10,” he said about his excitement level.

He notes that they have a big hill to climb if they’re going to repeat their success, with Canton and Wyalusing looking to dethrone them.

“We are not going to probably win as much as last year,” said Russell. “But I think it’ll be fun. It’ll be more challenging. We just have to work hard, and do as good as we can even though we have a younger team.”

Lockwood is hoping that they’re exchanging one good class of runners for another.

“Not all of them came up, but I think between the leadership Russell and Jackson Martin bring back to the team, and then the addition of Xavier, Levi, Josiah, and Kaden, I think they’ll fill the gaps very nicely.”

The girls’ team is all freshmen and sophomore, but return one of their top runners in Sophia Bennett.

“I’ve been looking forward to it,” Bennett said. “I hope that we can continue to do good, and face all of the challenges.”

Most of the NTL Small Schools don’t field full teams, and for the second year in a row Canton won’t have a girls’ squad, but Wyalusing and Sullivan County should be formidable. 

They also had a few upper classmen runners not come back from last year.

“It’s definitely a change, but I think it’ll motivate us to work harder,” said Bennett.

Bennett has another motivating factor - just missing a state berth last season.

“It pushes me really hard,” she said. “It pushed me to work really hard over the summer.”

Lockwood will be looking for his sophomores to lead the team.

“I think a lot of the leadership is going to come from Sophie Bennett and Ruth Laudermilch,” he said. “I think they’ll help lead the team where they need to go.”

They missed winning a district title by one point a year ago, and Lockwood hopes that will motivate them for this October.

“I think, especially last year, losing some top girls before the season, and still almost winning the district title, I think that’s pretty awesome,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll try to do that again.”

ROSTER (Grade)
GIRLS
Maggie Chappell (9)
Clara Dewing (10)
Riley Lamson (10)
Eliana Mihalek (9)
Ruth Laudermilch (10)
Sophie Bennett (10)
BOYS
Xavier Lockwood (9)
William Kapr (9)
Russell Martin (12)
Keagan Netherton (9)
Levi Dewing (9)
Jackson Martin (10)
Josiah Russell (9)

SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 at Cliff Robbins Invitational
Sep. 2 at Athens w/Sullivan County, 4 p.m.
Sep. 9 at Troy w/Wyalusing, 4 p.m.
Sep. 16 vs Towanda, Sayre, 4 p.m.
Sep. 19 at Owego Dash
Sep. 23 vs Canton, 4 p.m.
Sep. 27 at McQuaid
Sep. 30 at CV w/NPM, Wellsboro, 4 p.m.
Oct. 11 at NTL Coaches Invitational
Oct. 23 at District IV Championships

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