On Friday, October 23, the Millard West Cross Country team took on many other schools in the final race of the season. The Wildcats varsity boys team have performed very well this season, taking first in many meets including the district meet. The Millard West girls varsity team has improved throughout the season as well, finishing in second in several meets and first in one.

The race was held at Kearney Country Club, and the Wildcats competed against 12 other schools. These included, Fremont, Creighton Prep, Lincoln North Star, Papillion- La Vista South, Elkhorn South, Gretna, Norfolk, Lincoln East, North Platte, Lincoln Southwest and Lincoln Pius X.

The Wildcat boys sent seven runners to the race, and many of them beat their previous times. Junior Sam Kirchner finished third in the overall race and placed first for Millard West. He had a time of 15 minutes and 51 seconds and got his PR for the season. He was followed by sophomore Piercze Marshall who crossed the line with a time of 16 minutes and 22 seconds. He placed 15th in the overall race, and second for Millard West, also getting his PR for the season.

“It was a feeling of great satisfaction to get a new personal best at the final meet of the season because that shows that I gave everything I had and left it all on the course,” Marshall said. “We worked hard during the last week and I feel by not focusing on my time and just running with the others, I was able to perform so well.”

Sophomore Joey Hartnett crossed the line just 14 seconds behind Marshall with another PR and a time of 16 minutes and 14 seconds. This got him 21st place in the race and third for Millard West. Following Hartnett, senior Austin Goetsche and junior Seth Fey finished in 23rd and 25th place. Goetsche had a time of 16 minutes and 41 seconds and Fey finished one second later. The Wildcat boys team placed second overall in state and had some of the best race times of their season.

“The state meet was one of my goals for the season and it was a race like no other,” Fey said. “I went out hard and moved up many places throughout the 5k but the 600 meter stretch at the end was when I really picked up my pace, passing five guys.

Millard Wests girls sent seven runners to the race as well. Leading the girls, junior Emily Gilbert crossed the line with a time of 19 minutes and 17 seconds. She placed tenth in the overall race and first for Millard West. Following her was junior Sydney Beaudin just eight seconds behind Gilbert with a time of 19 minutes and 26 seconds. Beaudin placed 15th in the race and second for the Wildcats.

“The environment at the meet was completely different and I feel we as a team excelled our expectations,” Beaudin said. “It felt really good placing third in state when we were projected sixth. Our goal was to make it to state, and to perform the way we did against the other schools was a big milestone.”

Sophomore Isabelle Hartnett finished with a time of 19 minutes and 37 seconds. This time got 19th in the race and third place for Millard West. Even though the girls varsity team placed third in the overall race, they fought hard throughout the season to improve their times, and it was reflected well in this meet.

“The whole team has worked very hard throughout the season, and to get to this point in State, we had to push each other pretty hard,” Gilbert said. “I ran my first mile very smart so I would be able to pick off more girls near the end and surge when needed.” 

Some other highlights in the race would be the Wildcats boys having several personal records and five out of seven runners placing in the Top 25. This represents the work the Wildcats have put in throughout the season to constantly lower their times. Another highlight would be the girls having 4 racers finish in the top 30. This is a great milestone, considering the level of competition they faced.

“We have grown as a team this year because compared to last year, we have improved our times drastically,” Marshall said. “Also, we have gotten closer to each other personally because a lot of the varsity members are the same ones as last year, and since we will only be losing one teammate next year, we will have another year of running together. This is essential because we give each other motivation throughout the season to perform our best, and without this, we wouldn’t get the times we do.”

The Wildcats team will only be losing a few seniors, so next year they will all have had experience racing with one another. This factor will impact their team because every year the seniors leave and new lower classmen join. Next year, the varsity teams will have most the same runners, so they will be able to motivate each other throughout the races and help one another improve.