Moving On Up
Badgers Continue to Rise Above Competition at Legends Meet
By: Ethan Teare, BP Staff Writer
October 11, 2007
Saturday was another day to remember for the Berkshire Cross Country team, as they traveled to the Trumbull County Fairgrounds for the Legends Meet. The extreme heat did not stop the Badgers from putting on another stellar team performance.
When the girls team started the day for the Badgers, the temperatures had already soared into the mid-eighties, but these unfavorable conditions did not stop them from running well against the competition. Sophomore Alex Bowers and Senior Claire Markwardt provided a nice push for the Badgers, finishing in 4th and 5th places. They were closely followed by their two teammates Allie Noble and Liz Hess in 13th and 25th. The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th runners for the girls were Hannah Sawyer, Erica Dingman, Noelle Jurcak, and Megan Burnett, who all finished in the top third of the field. Although times suffered due to the heat, the girls still placed very well and came in second as a team behind Gilmour, a state-bound team who the girls plan to overcome in the post-season.
The boys race followed the girls and was also very competitive. Seniors Dave Young and Ethan Teare ran well and finished in the top fifteen places of the field. They were closely followed by the trio of Greg Dornback, Tim Hess, and Luke Malensek, conveniently finishing in 25th, 26th, and 27th places. Thomas Hess, Dan Ganim, and Brendan Curtin closed out the action for the boys, all finishing in the top 50. Similar to the girls, the boys’ times suffered because of the heat, but their places were not affected. The story of the day was how the boy’s team had only 00:37 seconds between their first and fifth man. This impressive performance led to a 3rd place tie with St. Vincent St. Mary. Thomas Hess served as the tiebreaker to give the Badgers the 3rd place finish. Hess modestly said, “I don’t know, it felt good, but it could have been better.”
The Legends Meet served to be the last inconsequential meet for the Badgers, as in the upcoming weeks they have the conference, district, regional, and state meets. For both the boys and girls, Saturday’s competition included many of the teams who the Badgers plan on seeing in the post-season. This meet acted as a nice tune-up and as a chance to move past some teams who could pose a threat later on. The boys beat several teams who had beaten them earlier in the season, and the girls moved even closer to Gilmour.
Head Coach Julie Cole was very satisfied with the performances on Saturday, and said, “To do so well while we’ve been tired has been remarkable. Now its’ time to unveil the real Badgers of 2007 and let ‘er rip.” After the performances over the last few weeks, members of the team cannot help but to be excited about the next month. Markwardt said, “I think it will go well; I’m excited,” when asked about how she feels with the post-season drawing nearer.
After weeks of intense performances, one cannot help but notice the character of the team and its runners. Everyone can see that the team has talent, but the presence of leadership, respect, and determination is also contributing to the excitement that surrounds the team. On Saturday for instance, the boys shouted their routine “1, 2, 3 Bowers,” and all pointed to the grandstand where he was sitting. Actions like these show the amount of respect that the whole team has for one another. Cole cannot help but distinguish this year’s team from others, by saying, “When I look around me at practice or meets, I see some of the strongest people that I’ve ever met.”
