By Ellie Strang, Reporter
The boys varsity cross country team took first place in the meet on Oct. 1, taking out the competition with 34 points.
Rockford Jefferson followed with 54, Oregon with 86, Rockford Boyland at 100 and lastly Rock Falls at 122 points.
This win is one of many that the boys have snatched up this year, following with some intense training and strategy, Varsity Head Coach Chad Clarey said.
“We have made minor adjustments to our training this fall, running longer days early in the week, implementing our speed work toward the middle and end,” Clarey said. “Even though we’ve been doing some intense workouts two days before races, the boys have been coming back with really good times on Saturdays. We hope that trend continues as we work to taper our distances back and get fresher legs for the end of the season and our run in the State Series.”
Training seems to be going well with the Knights and especially well with the team’s top four finishers, Clarey said.
“Kyle Carter took second place overall in a time of 15:07,” said Clarey. “This was the fastest time that any Kaneland runner has ever had on this course. Connor Johnson finished in fourth place, with a time of 15:42, followed by John Meissenger in sixth at 15:49, and Brandon Huber in seventh with 15:50. We’ve never had all top four runners under 16:00 before either.”
Several senior runners have made great strides this season too, Clarey said.
“A pair of seniors completed our scoring, with both Miroljub Marin and Clayton Brundige taking 16th and 17th places with the same time of 16:16,” Clarey said. “Our senior leadership has really hit its stride in the last two weeks. Clayton Brundige, Nate Rehkopf, Austin Paulson, Frankie Furco, John Michek and Kelvin Peterson have been experienced veterans, showing our new runners how to do things. They lead by example and work and work very hard at maintaining the integrity of our approach to racing and practices.”
Brundige has been helping younger runners prepare for the upcoming meets and conference.
“I’m just trying to be a good leader, and lead by example,” Brundige said. “I learned from the alumni before me.”
To prepare for conference, the team will have to keep up the good work, he said.
“We just have to keep on doing what we’re doing and keep practicing hard,” Brundige said. “We have been doing a lot a lot better, way better than the past four years. There is a lot of young talent. We are looking to get in the top three this year, maybe the top two in conference.”
Clarey said he hopes the team will end up in the top at the sectional meet on Oct. 29, which would qualify them for the state finals on Nov. 5.
“Knowing this group of juniors and seniors, they have their minds set on getting the job done at sectionals. We will need to stay healthy the rest of the way, and have a solid pack performance at the sectional, in order to make that happen, “ Clarey said. “We would like nothing more than to be running as a team in November.”
