DeMatha Cross Country History

Coaches:

1963-1966 Unknown
1967 James Spiridopoulos
1968 Harry Rest
1969 Terry Traux
1970-1973 Doug Tschiffely (WMAC individual champions in 1972 & 1973)
1983-1987 Fr. Rich Maloney
1988-1989 Tim Breen (WMAC team title & individual champion in 1988)
1990-1998 Bruce Schaper '84 (WMAC individual champion in 1991, WCAC team title & individual champion in 1996)
1999-2001 Justin Myers
2002 Alex Grubb
2003-2009 Bruce Schaper '84 (WCAC team title in 2006, WCAC individual champions in 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009)
2010-2015 Mike Puffett
2016-Present Cory Puffett '10 (WCAC team title in 2022, WCAC individual champion in 2023)

Note: DeMatha did not field a cross country team from 1974 through 1982. There is no record of a cross country team at DeMatha prior to 1963.

Top Historical Performers (5 km):

Cory Puffett '10 15:27 (2008 Georgetown Prep Classic)
Puffett broke 17 minutes in the 5k 20 times while at DeMatha

Robert Patterson '09 15:48 (2008 Georgetown Prep Classic)
Patterson broke 17 minutes in the 5k 10 times while at DeMatha

Chase Lopez '24 15:51 (2023 MileStat.com XC Invitational -- Pole Green Park)
Lopez has broken 17 minutes in the 5k 5 times while at DeMatha

Sayid Shakur '24 16:03 (2023 MileStat.com XC Invitational -- Pole Green Park)
Shakur has broken 17 minutes in the 5k 8 times while at DeMatha

Rudy Kriester 16:08 (1991 Metro Catholic Championship -- Georgetown Prep)
Kriester broke 17 minutes in the 5k at least twice while at DeMatha

Jayden Keels '23 16:38 (2022 Chesapeake Invitational -- Chesapeake High School)
Keels broke 17 minutes in the 5k 4 times while at DeMatha

John Brewer '12 16:43 (2011 Paul Short Invitational -- Lehigh University)
Brewer broke 17 minutes in the 5k twice while at DeMatha

Christopher Toomer '23 16:49 (2022 Maryland XC Invitational -- Shawan Downs)
Toomer broke 17 minutes in the 5k twice while at DeMatha

Joe Graham '15 16:55 (2013 Adidas XC Challenge -- WakeMed Soccer Complex; Cary, NC)
Graham broke 17 minutes in the 5k twice while at DeMatha

Graham Fenn '24 16:58 (2022 Maryland XC Invitational -- Shawan Downs)
Fenn has broken 17 minutes in the 5k once while at DeMatha

*Athletes are added to this list once they have broken 17 minutes for a sanctioned 5k course.

Top Historical Performances (3 miles):

Robert Patterson '09 15:33 (2008 Knights Invitational -- Baybrook Park; Baltimore, MD)
Cory Puffett '10 16:00 (2008 Knights Invitational -- Baybrook Park; Baltimore MD)
Jayden Keels '23 16:17 (2021 WCAC Championship -- Bull Run Regional Park; Centreville, VA)
Jayden Keels '23 16:22 (2022 Eagle Invitational -- Centennial High School; Ellicott City, MD)
Brian Benkhadra '09 16:27 (2008 Knights Invitational -- Baybrook Park; Baltimore, MD)
Jeff Stauder '91 16:28 (1990 WMAC Championship -- Burke Lake Park; Fairfax Station, VA)
Tom Littlefield '91 16:28 (1990 WMAC Championship -- Burke Lake Park; Fairfax Station, VA)
Christopher Toomer '23 16:29 (2021 WCAC Championship -- Bull Run Regional Park; Centreville, VA)

*This is a comprehensive list of every known 3-mile run in under 16 minutes 30 seconds by a DeMatha athlete.
Note: Rudy Kriester may have run in the low 15s on a 3-mile course in 1991, but we currently have no documentation to confirm this. As noted above, records from prior to 2000  are sparse. Anybody with documentation of an athlete from that era who ran sub-16:30 for the 3-mile is encouraged to share with us so we can make this page as accurate as possible.