James Wood High School 17-year-old senior
Sport: Cross Country
Parents: Duncan and Krista Schofield
Hometown: Winchester
What do you love about cross country?: Mostly the camaraderie. I just get to hang out with my friends because I made friends through that sport, so I enjoy going. I look forward to practice every day to hang out with them, to go and run with them and then compete and meet and see people from other schools that I know. So it’s just mostly like the social aspect, but the running is great too.
Most memorable moment in cross country: Probably my freshman year at the Oatlands Invitational. The weather, it was horrible with the rain. It was cold and windy. But now that I’m looking back on it, I’d rather have it again because it was so memorable. I think about it now that I’m a senior, I think about the freshmen, and I’m like, ‘They’ve never experienced something like this.’
Most embarrassing moment in cross country: [Teammates and I] got lost probably more than once. We came back and coach Lofton was like, ‘What were you guys doing?’ And we were like, ‘We were running and we got lost.’ We got back 20 minutes late the one time, we got back 30 minutes late the other time … the day after, he talked to the whole team about ‘you have to know where you are.’ He didn’t directly say our names, but it was kind of embarrassing.
Most difficult moment in cross country: I’ve had a couple injuries, starting when I started running in seventh grade. I also had an injury in eighth grade in my knee, and it put me out for almost half of my freshman cross country [season]. I did not like it at all because my kneecap was fractured, so I was out for a while. That wasn’t very good.
Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: Jesus; I’m religious so I would just like to meet him and talk to him about my faith. My grandmother, because she passed recently and I haven’t seen her in a while, and I’d like to see her again. And then Albert Einstein because of his accomplishments. He’d be interesting to talk to.
Biggest athletic influences: [Former James Wood cross country runner] Eli Clark. We call him coach Clark because he’ll show up every once in a while, and I get excited. He’s a very chill guy, and I like to hang out with him. And he graduated now [in 2025], but we still talk about him all the time. It’s like we wish he was still there. So he’s probably my main influence for running.
Favorite teacher: My precalculus teacher, Mr. [Arthur] Madeoy. He was a good teacher, I learned a lot in his class. He taught me well, and he set me up for my calculus class.
Favorite athlete: Usain Bolt
Favorite team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Favorite movie: “Forrest Gump”
Favorite TV show: “Little House on the Prairie”
Favorite song: “Can’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Favorite food: Beef Stroganoff
Worst thing you’ve eaten: Anything too spicy, like peppers or anything like that.
Plans after high school: Definitely go to college, probably Virginia Tech. I’m going to apply early to see if I can get in and study engineering or medical, and then get a job. I think I’m gonna talk to my counselor about graduating with my associate’s degree, so hopefully I can go straight into Virginia Tech because if you do an in-state college for two years or a community college for two years, it’s like a guaranteed entry, so I’d like to graduate with my associate’s from Lower Ridge. Ever since I was young, I liked building stuff and creative thinking. And in my engineering classes and stuff, when we build things, I do really well, and it’s just a field I’m interested in. I might do a little crossover and do biomechanical engineering and design wheelchairs or legs or stuff like that.
— Compiled by Joe Tuman