The boy’s cross country team competed in their first meet of the season recently at the Class of the Metro meet, held at Papillion La Vista South. Despite the tough course and solid competition, the team showed great determination. With strong performances from several runners, they set a promising and encouraging tone for the rest of the season.
The highlight from the whole meet was the seniors, as they simply dominated the senior class of the meet. With senior Ryan Kugler finishing with the best time out of all the runners in the entire meet, with a time of 16:40.7. The second best in the senior class was 17:04.1, as Kugler outmatched everyone.
“We put in a ton of miles over the summer. We kind of went into the race knowing it’s almost like a time trial,” Kugler said. “I Think we started off on the right foot. We have a race on Thursday against more competition.”
Multiple other seniors for the team were able to finish with a top 15 time. The senior who had the second best time for the team was Colin Newman, who finished sixth, with a time of 17:51.1. Other seniors who placed were Preston Penney, who finished 7th, with a time of 18:02.1, and Townsend Hola, who finished 14th with a time of 18:54.9.
The leadership of the team is driven largely by the seniors, who set the tone for everyone else. They lead by example, pushing themselves to run harder and farther, and in doing so, they inspire the rest of the team to do the same. But their leadership goes beyond just personal performance; they actively challenge their teammates, offering words of encouragement and pushing others to meet the high standards they’ve set. The seniors understand that their role is not just to excel individually, but to cultivate a culture of determination and perseverance throughout the team. By doing so, they ensure that every member is motivated to push their limits, contributing to the collective success of the group.
“The seniors have always pushed the younger runners to work harder and run more.” Head coach Theresa Gosnell said. Having such a strong senior class motivates the underclassmen to improve every time they step on the course. “Through their actions they have definitely motivated the younger kids.”
The juniors also had a strong showing, finishing as the 7th best in the meet. The top runner for the juniors was Calvin Tomcak, who finished 10th, with a time of 18:44.6. The sophomores also finished seventh as a team, with the top runner Dylan Gross finishing fifth, with a time of 17:53.3. Another Westside runner also finished in the top ten for sophomores, as Devin Neumann finished ninth, with a time of 18:34.4. The freshmen finished 10th as a group, with the top performer being Santino Lerda, who finished 10th, with a time of 19:31.7.
The seniors on the team, riding high after finishing first as a class, are determined to carry that momentum through the rest of the season. Their leadership and experience will be crucial as they set their sights on even greater achievements. Meanwhile, the sophomores and juniors are motivated to push harder and improve their standing, drawing on the strength of their team bond and training to close the gap. As for the freshmen, finishing tenth has only fueled their hunger to improve. With guidance from the upperclassmen and a drive to make their mark, they are eager to show progress with every race.
All of the summer training led up to this meet, and the team certainly did not disappoint. With the seniors looking as dominant as ever, and the underclassmen looking extremely promising, the goal for the team are still clear, and that goal is to win state. The boy’s team finished fifth overall, and they only plan on improving as the season progresses.
The team plans to carry this momentum into the upcoming meets, while progressing with each competition. The team has more meets coming up, including the Seward Invite, the Platte River Rumble, and the Creighton Prep Invite.
