WHHS Cross Country brings home another victory!

The WHHS Cross Country team has gone through rigorous training in preparation for the County Championship which took place Friday, October 21 at Garret Mountain park reservation. The work was certainly worth it as the girls Varsity team earned yet another first place as County Champs and the boys Varsity came in third, with their top runner, Joe Zisa, crossing the finish line first. Although the talent on the team seems to run high, this fruitful victory was challenging to achieve.  

“We needed to stay focused before the Counties. They were a big deal,” commented Junior Varsity runner Kaitlyn Wisse. Cross country is a cohesive sport; requiring the participation and dedication of all team members. Placing individually is not enough to succeed.

“Every spot counts. The closer team members run as a pack, the higher they have a chance to place,” explains former Varsity runner Anastasia Zelenin. “With Cross Country the earlier you come in, the better. A team with the least amount of points wins because it means they finished in the top numbers.”

This is certainly true as runners Taylor Domico and Emily Becker crushed their opponents by both coming in 1st and 2nd. With the rest of their teammates landing 6th, 10th, 12th, 24th, and 25th, the WH girls Varsity achieved an outstanding victory over their rivals. Of course, such success also stems from the enormous team support that was shown.

On the evening before the Counties, the Junior Varsity, and Freshmen team surprised their upperclassmen with a patriotic locker room decoration. The girls adorned the room with maroon, white, black, and red balloons, streamers, posters, and even Gatorade. A tradition that has thrived on the team for more than six years; the locker room experience gave a strong boost of motivation for the Varsity girls.

Although, Varsity is the primary focus during the Championships, the efforts brought by Freshmen and Junior Varsity were no less important. With most of the Junior Varsity girls coming in the top 10 and the boys in the top 20, the team earned solid positions in all of their heats.

“I am very happy that we won,” noted Varsity runner Shea Brennan. “I think all levels JV, Freshmen- everyone put in their best work.”

This victory calls for a celebration, but there is still much work to be done. With the upcoming final meets and Leagues for the Varsity, the team is expected to perform to its full potential, as all members are in for some fierce competition.