The Fairfield High School cross country team gathered recently to celebrate another successful season and recognize outstanding individual achievements, including the introduction of a new award honoring a beloved teammate.
Six runners earned Academic All-Southeast Conference honors for their performance both on the course and in the classroom: Bailey Belzer, Caroline Van Pelt, Clae Cass, Drew Myers, Brice Boatright, and John Miller.
Elijah Hamilton was named Rookie of the Year, recognizing his strong first season with the program.
Three runners received Most Improved honors for their development throughout the season: Anna McAvan, Naomi Stiemsma, and Sawyer McCready.
The program’s Most Valuable Player awards went to Alex Steward, Brice Boatright, and John Miller, acknowledging their leadership and performance.
The highlight of the banquet was the announcement of a new honor—the Jack Polonsky Perfect Teammate Award—named in memory of an exceptional young man who left a lasting impact on the program.
“Jack was an amazing young man who perfectly embodied everything we look for in our program: love, a joyful spirit, kindness, hard work, and being everyone’s biggest fan,” Head Coach Jerrod Belzer said. “We will continue telling Jack’s story and sharing the light that Jack brought into every moment.”
The inaugural recipients of the Jack Polonsky Perfect Teammate Award are Caroline Van Pelt and Clae Cass, both of whom demonstrated the qualities that made Jack special to the program.
Belzer extended special gratitude to the team’s seniors for their leadership and example.
“A huge thank you to our seniors for being such wonderful leaders and showing the underclassmen what our program is all about,” he said.
The banquet concluded another chapter in Fairfield cross country’s history, with the program looking forward to getting better and continuing Jack Polonsky’s legacy in the seasons ahead.
