Pack mentality suits Waubonsee

Close-knit, talented squad shoots for strong national finish

SUGAR GROVE -- The Waubonsee Community College cross country program didn't have to look far and wide when assembling one of the strongest team's in the nation. It just had to look in its own backyard.

The Chiefs, who recently won their third consecutive Region Four title and will compete Saturday for the NJCAA Division I national championship, are comprised of talented runners from up and down the Fox Valley -- who just a year or two ago were competing for IHSA accolades.

"We've been lucky that we have a lot of fine runners from Geneva, Yorkville, Aurora Central Catholic, Batavia and Oswego," Waubonsee coach John Bell said. "There are a lot of good runners in this area and they should think about coming here. There are a lot of opportunities."

And it is this philosophy that has caught on with his current squad, comprised of academic and athletic scholars, along with harriers figuring out what their long-range plans are.

"Waubonsee was a good program and it was affordable," said Drew Schmitt of Batavia.

"I figured I would get my general studies done at Waubonsee," added sophomore Jakob Anderson of Oswego.

Along with a wealth of talent, the Chiefs' team unity is a key reason the squad continues to do well in national competitions.

"It's fun because now we get to run with them and not against them," Schmitt said of his teammates, many of whom he competed against at the high school level. "We use our strengths and work together to achieve a common goal, which is to do good in state (Skyway Conference)."

The team bonds over weekly pasta parties, which are held at a different team member's home each week, hanging out at various Fox Valley venues and, of course, on the campus itself.

"We do a lot of things together," Anderson said.

Like pack together.

The Chiefs' top six runners boast an average split of just under 30 seconds -- which during the course of an 8K race is pretty remarkable.

"We are all so close together," said sophomore Jared Klein of Batavia, "If anyone has a bad race, we always have someone else to step up."

The team of Anderson, Klein, Schmitt, Greg Adelman, Evan Ehrhardt, Javier Guribay, Philp Hankes, Andrew Peters, Chris Higgins, Nick Pedersen and Max Sliwa is currently ranked as one of the Top 20 teams in the nation.

"We're hoping for at least a Top 10 (finish)," Bell said.

One of their biggest obstacles will be downstate powerhouse Rend Lake, which boasts runners from Africa on scholarship. According to Bell, each team can compete with up to two international runners. He also stated that 23 of last year's Top 25 runners hailed from foreign nations.

Despite that fact, Bell's current team isn't intimidated -- they know exactly what they need to do on Saturday. "We have to run like we have all year," Klein said, "and run with our pack."

"The last mile is anyone's game," Schmitt said, "We'll do what we always do and leave it out there."

Joining the men's team in Peoria will be sophomore Erin Cinto of Sugar Grove. The Kaneland graduate will be competing in her second national meet. She finished eighth at the regional competition a few weeks ago.

"I'm excited," she said.

She said the competition is intimidating and there are so many runners lined up at the start it is "ridiculous."

"You're like, 'You've made it there, have fun,'" she said.

The NJCAA Division I National Championship will take place at the Newman Golf Course Saturday in Peoria.

Cross Country