LHS Cross-Country Women Are Division I Champs
There is plenty that binds runners, especially those who team up for championships.
Title winners are quick to drop the family label to attribute to such success — and while it may seem some programs may be cliche in associating it with team unity, this year’s Lexington High girls’ cross-country Division 1 state crown, captured last month, indeed was a laurel earned by a true family unit.
Included is the “mom” of the LHS girl harriers — and we’re not talking about longtime coach Rebecca Trachsel.
“Thayer is our glue, she holds everyone together — some of them call her Mom,” Trachsel said, referring to senior tri-captain Thayer DiCerbo, a frequent unofficial spokesperson for the Lex squad.
“They gave me a Best Mother blanket as a captain’s gift,” DiCerbo acknowledged recently while sharing a few light moments with her teammates lounging on the indoor track landing pads in the LHS Field House.
While a beloved leader among her mates, DiCerbo is more of a supportive older sister on the squad, and the smiles and playful banter among Lex’s top eight runners further shows that the program indeed is one happy family.
Like so many LHS cross-country/track teams of the past decades, this year’s squad had no lack of bonding activities, providing lasting memories of lifelong friendships. This team has matching pajamas, coach included.
“We had a cooking competition (just before the state meet),” DiCerbo said, ‘and we did that with the boys’ team,” which placed fourth in their D1 state race.
“Everyone was randomly assigned groups to work together, and a few of our boys decided they want to make some national El Salvadoran dish,” she added. “It took them about three hours. Another group almost lit a pot on fire.”
Fortunately, all were safe and enjoyed many a laugh. They all carried such upbeat mojo into the afternoon of Nov. 15, at the MIAA Meet of Champions at the Willard Field Complex in Devens, and these girls indeed shined on the final race of the day.
Championship task at hand
The key to the larger meets is for all seven runners to keep as close in a pack as possible while maintaining a strong pace over the entire 5,000 meters (3.1 miles).
Lexington placed its five scorers among the top 22, led by sophomore Janie Conrad, who finished third in 18 minutes, 6.32 seconds, best among non-seniors.
“My race plan was to do a 2-mile time trial (11:39) against myself, pushing myself into a good position,” Conrad said. “On the third mile, I looked around to see where I was and figured I’d work on closing the gap.”
The following weekend, Conrad placed 10th (tops among Mass. runners) at Nike Cross Northeast in Wappingers Falls, New York, with Lexington Elite taking sixth for the second year in a row.
“She is incredibly driven and loves the sport,” Trachsel said. “She loves having her teammates push her, and while she’s in front, she knows exactly what the group is doing, the team strategy, and she’s in it for the team.”
Sophomore Ella Tyson (18:43.99) took 10th in Devens, and juniors Erin Ehmann (18:57.29) and Alycia Charest (18:57.86) solidified the pack in 17th and 18th.
Junior Callie Glenn (22nd, 19:07.04) clinched Lexington’s third D1 state title as the No. 5 runner. LHS, which was runner-up to Westford Academy last year, posted 63 points, followed by Billerica (89) and Newton North (138).
“During states, we tried to stick together as a pack as best as possible,” Glenn said. “I was just trying to pass as many runners as I could during that second half. I was trying to close as best I could toward Janie and the rest of the group.”
Not only was it Lexington’s third girls’ XC title (others in 2001 and ’16), but the school has scored a Triple Crown of sorts, having followed up 2025 D1 state championships in indoor and outdoor track.
Engaged commitment
“Our teams over the last couple of years committed to the sport at a higher level,” said Trachsel, who coached girls’ cross-country to the ’16 crown. “Immediately after COVID, the commitment wasn’t as strong, the values weren’t quite as locked in. We had some people locked in, some not.
“We asked everyone to recommit and really step up to the challenge,: she added. “All three teams have done that. It’s been really fun to watch.”
“We have more motivation to keep it up and keep competing to the best of our ability in all three seasons,” Conrad said.
Trachsel, who is head coach for all three seasons and has headed up Lex XC since 2012, had a squad committed for a title run from the beginning.
“We prepared so well last year, and everyone here was in sync as the second-place team,” said Trachsel, who ran at Colgate University in the mid-90s. “When we sat down together at the end of last fall, we kind of committed together to what we wanted and how we were going to do that.
“They did their work over the summer, and when they came in to start their season, there were no surprises, they all wanted the same thing. They talked about how they were going to reach those goals.”
“Training together this season, we’ve come a lot closer and become more like a family,” Ehmann said. “It’s good to have such a close group because if one person isn’t feeling their best on one day, the rest of the group can help to bring her back up.”
“Having a team in which you’re not bonded and don’t practice as a unit can show up a lot in your performance,” Glenn added. “It’s much more empowering when you’re working with girls who putting their hearts and souls into this.”
Lexington sailed through its six dual meets, including three at its Lincoln Field home course, and prevailed at the Middlesex League meet at Woburn Country Club, placing seven of the top 14 finishers.
Other team titles came at early-season Saturday invitationals, the Ocean State in Rhode Island and the Catholic Memorial at Franklin Park in Boston.
At the Division 1A sectional Nov. 8 at Wrentham Development Center, Conrad again placed third, behind seniors Abigail Hennessy (Westford Academy) and Greta Hammer (Needham), and her teammates provided another pack finish, with Tyson fifth, Charest eighth, Ehman ninth and Glenn No. 5 in 17th.
LHS totaled 41 to 71 for Westford, the defending state champ.
Team depth the key
While Conrad has headed the pack for Lexington, Trachsel marvels at the supporting cast, which also happens to be a deep, deep throng of milers and 2 miles for the indoor and outdoor seasons. She’s excited about how Tyson has developed into a top-10 talent at big meets.
“Ella was kind of new to the sport last year, kind of trying to figure out running — she’s quite a skier,” the coach said. “She didn’t do our indoor season (she’s there this season), she joined us for outdoors, and it took her a little while to catch up. She really dove headfirst into her summer training, and that paid off.”
Ehmann and Charest stuck together in the MIAA November races with consecutive finishes in both.
“Erin’s our steady, cruise-control, always in there, always very, very smooth, always in the mix of the top five,” Trachsel said of Ehmann. “You can count on her regardless of what state the team is in. She’s a pillar for the team.
“Alycia is our positive, fun, bright star,” coach added of Charest, a tri-captain. “She is almost always bringing positive energy to the team. She’s good at bringing us up if we’re down.”
In both D1 races, Glenn provided the clinching finish.
“Callie’s our crazy, fun, high-energy type,” Trachsel said. “You know it’s going to be a fun day when Callie’s with you. She holds everyone together with her fun dances, stories — she keeps everyone on their toes. She keeps us engaged, but she’s a rock star.”
“Doing workouts with Callie can be quite motivating,” Conrad said. “I always know my teammates are right behind me. As soon as I finish, I’m looking for them to cross right then.”
DiCerbo (36th, 19:35.37) and classmate tri-captain Meghan Caldera (70th, 20:16.31) were LHS’ sixth and seven finishers at the state meet. Their leadership continues to be treasured into the indoor track season.
“She’s a pillar for the mental and emotional support of this team,” Trachsel added of DiCerbo, who is headed next fall to Denison University in Ohio, to study psychology. “Girls go to her for pretty much anything, and she makes herself available all the time, and it’s big reason why this core group is so successful.”
Caldera, who hopes to study government/political science in college next year, stepped up when freshman Emma Kosnik missed the MIAA finale due to injury.
“Super positive, always there, probably one of the hardest working kids on the team,” Trachsel said. “Meghan has days when she struggles with herself, but overcomes those struggles because she cares about the team so much.”
For the most part, Kosnik has kept up with her teammates as the newcomer for Diamond Middle. She turned in a fine performance in the Division 1A meet, placing 21st overall.
“Emma quietly slid her way in there in the beginning,” Trachsel said. “She pretty much stamped her way into this top group from day one.
“She’s uncanny in her ability to stay steady, almost like a metronome,” the coach added. “She doesn’t go out too fast, and has plenty left to finish strong.”
“They’re really nice to me, I feel very welcomed,” Kosnik said. “In the beginning, the workouts were hard for me because I hadn’t done such intense workouts in middle school, but they helped push me, and it made me faster.”
As reigning Division 1 girls champions in indoor track, outdoor track and cross-country, Lexington indeed is making history, the school to beat but ready for challenges to defend.
“We did win during last outdoor track season, so we are sort of paving the way,” Charest said. “There is an underlying tradition, but we are the first ones to be doing what we’re doing, for the years to come.”
And next fall, there’s one fact going in that puts a smile on Trachsel’s face, and she doesn’t need to say much about it. Each of the Lexington girls’ cross-country top-five finishers at states are back in 2026.
“That’s really nice,” she says.