by Julia Marie Teti
assistant perspectives editor
The cross country team had a meet at Gwynedd Mercy with others schools from the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference this past Saturday. The men and women both hoped to place well as a team since their focus is on the PAC. Currently, the team has a lot of people battling injuries and others who are just trying to stay healthy.
During the past three weeks, the men have put a lot of hard work into cross-country. As of right now, the men’s team is the underdog due to injuries all season. Misericordia is favored at the moment. But Jones has a feeling that if they all pull together, they have a very good chance of winning.
On Nov. 4, cross-country resumes working toward the PAC at Alvernia. The top four runners have a chance to be All-conference. Both captains, Lauren Dean and Ryan Jones, want the championship. Jason Bull and Dean are both going for individual championships. Bull was the PAC champ last year and would like to get it for a second time in a row this season. This will be Dean’s third chance at the PAC championship.
Dean says that PAC is so important because it is what each one of them trains all year for. It is the time that you want to run at your absolute best. Since this year is the last for many of the team members, they all have this goal in mind. Jones says that some of the runners are beginning to reach their peak and are getting in top shape for the PAC. The team has three possible PAC champs: Jones, Bull and T. J. Bruznek. Jones’ and Bruznek’s goals are to run for less then 28 minutes for the five-mile race.
Several of the guys, including Jones, would like to be All-Regional, which would make them one of the top thirty in the region including fifty other teams and 500 runners. But, it is not a competition between team members. If anything, Jones says, the team needs to pull together.
Another important date for the team is November 11, for the Regionals, which will be hosted by Dickinson College. This meet will be more of an individual meet. Each person’s individual goals that go beyond the PAC come out during Regionals. If a cross-country member can do well by this point, there is a chance that that person can proceed on to Nationals. In order for this to happen, Jones says, everyone has to race at maximum potential.
Dean’s ultimate goal is to make it to the Nationals. Last year, she placed eighth and missed the Nationals by only two places. She is hoping to run for less than 19 minutes. Regarding her personal goals, this is her last chance to go for her best time. Dean is now running one minute faster then this time last year.
As for the team, there are six women. Dean says that they are looking strong, placing individually and also as a team. This is very encouraging for them. Despite this, Dean says that they still need to challenge themselves and be sure to take care of themselves.
Next year’s goal is to recruit more people since there are so many seniors getting ready to graduate.
