Valli Returns to Join Valenzuela, Giving Chatham Boys Cross-Country 'Healthy' Expectations for Counties and States in 2024

CHATHAM, NJ -- After a year of maladies that kept him from competing in cross-country and track for most of his junior year, Finn Valli decided to get an early start on the 2024 cross-country season.

"I started training in May because my (track) season ended early," Valli said. "I had mono, the flu, just everything made me feel exhausted for the whole year, but now I'm healthy and I'm excited for the season. I'm up to 55 miles per week, which puts me on pace for what I'm trying to hit for the end of the year."

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Valli qualified for the Meet of Champions in the 3200 as a sophomore in 2022 and his return to form for cross-country has Chatham setting lofty goals for the 2024 campaign.

"Last year, when Finn got sick, we didn't have the personnel to step up and fill the gap," Patrick Barry , Chatham cross-country coach, said. "After winning the county two years ago, we're trying to rebuild back to where we were. We're rebuilding that depth. We need five and we have six or seven right now."

Junior Marcus Valenzuela joins senior Valli at the front of the pack. Valenzuela clocked 16:33 in the Group 3 race last fall to earn a wild-card entry into the Meet of Champions. His fastest time in 2023 was 16:17 on the Greystone Course.

"I've been training hard and I'm hoping the whole team can make it to the Meet of Champions by placing in the top three at groups," Valenzuela said. "My goal this season is to break 16 minutes."

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The Cougar depth includes experienced junior runners Brady Byrne and Thomas Haines and seniors Dylan DeCicco and Leo Straka .

"The team is looking good this year," Byrne said. "We've got a good strong, six or seven guys. I think we're going to do big things. From what I've seen, we're all in really good shape. I think we definitely can do some big things this year. We have a great shot at winning counties and sectionals."

Juniors Bautista Gebara and Andrew Xu , along with rising sophomore Tyler Hale are included in the strong Chatham contingent.

"I was the eighth man last year," Hale said. "I think I fit in pretty well. I'm trying to break 16:45 this year."

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