Road To Repeat

This article was written by Caleb TeBrake

“It wasn’t luck.”

This statement screamed from minds of the Northview boys cross country team. They upset everyone but themselves in the 2024 conference championship. It is time for a repeat.

With all the shifting around of Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) conferences last year, Northview found themselves out of the OK White and into the OK Black, a new conference with a different end of season meet.  With this change, they were in the hunt to be the top dog team. They claimed their first conference championship last year in a thrilling meet finish. With a long summer full of grinding, the Cats find themselves in shape and on trajectory to become back to back champs. This would be the first time in over 50 years. As with most lofty goals, it won’t come easy.

The Northview Wildcats are determined to prove that last year’s win was not a fluke. They have a well thought out strategy and know their goal. A plan is in place containing the ins and outs of what it takes to win… the second time around.

To the vast majority of people, running is something that sounds terribly boring. One thing our coaching staff including Drew Wenger and John Wojciakowski take seriously is keeping the monotony of running an enjoyable time.

“Sometimes it is hard to show up and we want to keep it fun. We want to go to Tunnel Park, do the fun runs to AJ’s and things of that nature,” Wenger said.

Being the best is not easy. It takes serious commitment, making sacrifices all the time to reach the end goal.

“We want to have fun but also we want to win,” Wenger said. “Showing up every single day.”

Running may seem basic but there is definitely some thought put into planning a season. Peaking at the right time is extremely important. Closing hard is the Wildcats way to win. Training not only hard but also smart is essential.

“Last year we were able to sneak and get that conference championship by some big time races at the end of the season which we’re hoping to do again,” Wenger said.

Train smart and hard. But at the core of it all, don’t justify anything.  Simply go out there and run your hardest.

“It is putting in that hard work which we are doing which is a great part of that mentality but then also making it not be an excuse when we show up at the jamboree, ‘oh my legs are tired’ yes, everyone’s legs are tired at this stage of the season. We’re incorporating faster stuff, racing more frequently, and it is just prioritizing more of that recovery too which I think the team does a pretty good job at,” Wenger said.

The team is different from past years with this chance to win again.This team has a family mentality. Captain Rhys Holmes is excited about the close knit nature of this team and believes it will help them win.

“We’re not running individually anymore, we’re running as a team effort,” Holmes said.

This is the last chance for a majority of the team. The seniors know there is no “next time” so they are willing to dig deeper than ever before to create the outcome they want. It is all a part of the big plan to become back to back champs.

“We’re going to lose a lot of seniors this year which will definitely have a big effect. If we’re going to do it, it’s going to be now,” Holmes said.

Head coach John Wojciakowski knows what makes fast runners. It is grit. It is buying in. This team has just that which is a key component to the plan – giving it your all.

“You look at the top runners Northview and elsewhere and it is that commitment to the training and miles and it becomes a part of you,” Wojciakowski said. “We have people who are willing to put the miles in, commit to the workouts and take running seriously.”

The team wants to win but more importantly push themselves as hard as possible. If this is done, good things will come. Legendary American runner and team idol, Steve Prefontaine, thought the same.

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift”