Love, Laugh, Run!

Runners set? BANG!
Legs extending long, posture is great and lungs are being worked.

As a runner starts his or her race many things run through his or her mind.

Runners think different things such as, “Dang I feel good today, it is going to be a great race,” or, “Okay just concentrate, stay focused,” or “Why am I doing this to myself again?”

Such is the life of a Cross Country runner.

The boys Cross Country team won three first place trophies during their season, and while the girls did not win one, they had outstanding personal records and wins.

“I was super surprised with myself this year, my times improved greatly, l improved my time by almost a minute,” sophomore Chloe Ferrone said.

Some girls have stayed consistent with their Personal record (P.R.), but at the same time have won medals for the first time.

“My best time was my freshman year. Every year has been different, yet I haven’t let my times slip. Every race is different. I have had bad and great races but it’s not an indoor sport so you have to go through what nature has dealt you,” senior Emma Keele said.

As Keele has stayed consistent with her score, she won her very first JV medal. She came in 7th in the Grand Island Invite.

“It was pretty exciting, I didn’t even know I placed. They ran all the girls at one time and counted the top seven girls from every team, varsity and the rest JV,” Keele said.

Junior Elizabeth Opperman decided to join the Cross Country team this year for the first time.

“I honestly don’t now why I decided to join. I guess I just wanted to try something new, but I’m glad I did,” Opperman said.

Freshmen this year have surprised themselves and others.

“It was super exciting, and eventful. I was kind of shocked to be on varsity but I was shooting for sixth varsity or first junior varsity, and by the end of the year I was 3rd varsity,” freshman Nolan Kohmetscher said.

Though many guys and girls have had personal victories, the boy’s team has had five wins in the top three as a whole team.
Senior Johnson Bui has been a part of the Cross Country team all four years.
“My favorite thing about XC has to be the people that do the sport. We all know each other and race hard, but at the end of the day, we always have fun,” Bui said.

The coaches and students have their opinions on why the boy’s did so well this year.

“Coach Rosno has mentioned this year, and I agree with him, in that the reason we win is because of our ‘culture’. We have a hunger to win and are willing to work hard for it. That means working hard in practice and outside of practice. Rain or shine, even snow (referring to conferences in Scotts bluff) we’ll run. All. Year. Long,” Bui said.

This year for the first time since 1999. The boy’s team qualified for state, and also senior Trevor Rosno and junior Ethan Kerr qualified individually.

“I was excited to make it to state as a team. It just made the season even better,” Rosno said.

In addition to the boys qualifying, junior Marika Van Brocklin and senior Maureen Boyd qualified individually.

“State was a great way to end the season. I tried to improve each race during the regular season so at districts I knew what I had to do to qualify,” Boyd said.

Sadly the seniors won’t be on the team next year, but will be remembered forever.

“Being a part of Cross Country, was not just being in sport it was being in a family. Every season new people would join and new memories formed. I enjoyed every aspect of Cross Country, even the most dreaded Monday practices when we would run 1,000’s meters at the lake. One of the best decisions I made in high school was to run at the competitive level, but most of all the feeling of being a part of Tiger Cross Country was the best,” Boyd said.