The Optimist

Daniel McMullen

Staff Writer

It seems that harder workouts and powerful preaching has made the Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country teams stronger forces to be reckoned with.

These “methods are showing results,” said senior Justin Chen. “I’ve found that it’s easier to preach [to the guys].” Chen has been on the team through his entire high school career and can tell that the younger guys on the team are “ambitious like [him].” This creates winning energy in the locker room.
Both the boys’ and the girls’ team are filled with depth and have the ability to put multiple runners in the top ten. This in turn helped both teams past the defending state champion, Carmel. With more Panther runners in each tournament, it spreads them out, and when in tight packs of one or two, it helps give them a push towards the front of the pack. On numerous occasions already this season, the teams have pushed four runners within seven spots of one another.

Chen wasn’t surprised by the team’s work ethic and their increase in effort this season. “The whole team has really stepped it up after Joe [Holahan] graduated,” Chen said. When it comes to the underclassmen development, Chen’s philosophy is to “Let them learn on their own,” and to let the “guys grow” from that.

Sophomore Carl Smith has been one of those key guys this season Chen said. “He really knows how to pace himself [by] not working too hard or not hard enough.” Smith is a young runner who has “a bright future.”

“I came in to the season at about the same pace as last season, but I’ve gotten better” as the season has moved along, Smith said. Smith is quite the runner this season compared to last season. Smith has worked his way up to a varsity spot, which as a sophomore is impressive, since there are only seven spots.

Every competitive cross country team wants to win meets, and good workouts are the key to creating a winning team. Carly Derheimer of the girls’ cross country team said that
the teams workouts have been different this year, and with the “help of our new coach, [Dani Prince], it’s really shown.” The team has worked more on lower body strength and core workouts. “She’s just a really good athlete who [gives good vibes], both mentally and physically,” said Derheimer.

Derheimer, like Chen has improved her leadership abilities with “her experience and knowledge of the courses.” She wants to help all the younger runners by telling them “what to expect at each [away course].” Having a “good pace” at unknown courses can help the team reach their goal of “top eight in the state,” Derheimer said.

For most cross country teams the goal is to go to state, but recently the girls “haven’t had much success there,” said Derheimer. “We just hope to peak at the right time, and get what we can.”

The girls and boys both seem to have the “right stuff” for state, with both teams being ranked in the top twenty in the state, but with the stretch of the season coming right along, only time can tell what will happen.