Hendricken Wins Sixth Straight RIIL Cross Country Title
Hendricken scored 27 points to beat Barrington at the 2026 RIIL Boys Cross Country State Championship, and Colby Flynn took the individual crown.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Running
Hendricken won the 2026 RIIL Boys Cross Country State Championship with 27 points, finishing ahead of runner-up Barrington's 67 points. The team earned its sixth straight state title, led by Colby Flynn, who won the individual title in 15:26.51.
Why it matters
The victory extends Hendricken's run of state dominance and sets the team up for postseason meets, including the New England Championships next weekend. Flynn's win also highlights a strong individual performance in Rhode Island high school distance running.
Hendricken's 27-point team total beat Barrington's 67 points by 40 points at the RIIL Boys Cross Country State Championship. Flynn's winning time was 15:26.51 over the 3.1-mile race, and the team has now won six straight state titles.
The players
Hendricken High School
Hendricken is a Rhode Island Catholic high school in Warwick whose cross country program has won six consecutive RIIL state championships.
Colby Flynn
Flynn is a Ponaganset High School runner who won the individual state title and previously earned second-team All-State honors as a freshman.
The details
Flynn avoided leading the pack off the start and made his move to the front later in the race, while Hendricken runners stayed together as a pack throughout. Flynn went 1-2 with Shepard Butler at the Class A Championships, and Butler finished fourth at the state meet, with Andrew Williams sixth, Oliver Redmond ninth, and Luke Tremble 11th.
Timeline
November 7, 2026: Hendricken won the 2026 RIIL Boys Cross Country State Championship.
Next weekend: New England Championships are scheduled in Maine.
Season Trajectory
Hendricken's sixth consecutive state title extends one of the longest dominant runs in Rhode Island boys cross country. The result positions the program for a deep postseason run at the New England Championships and Nike Cross Regionals.
The New England Championships next weekend and Nike Cross Regionals later in the season will determine which Hendricken runners advance to Nike Cross Nationals. Fans planning to follow the team can track those meets as the postseason progresses.
The takeaway
Hendricken's depth, with five runners placing in the top 12, shows that the program's success rests on a full pack rather than a single standout. Readers following distance running in Rhode Island can watch how that depth performs at the regional and national meets ahead.
What happens next
Hendricken will compete at the New England Championships in Maine next weekend, with Nike Cross Regionals to follow as it seeks a berth at Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon.
Further reading
For more high school distance coverage, see our Running section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by USA TODAY.
