Cross country can often be a fickle sport.
It's the nature of running, really. Blazing a time toward the beginning or middle of the year doesn't mean much if it can't be repeated or surpassed at the end. While other sports typically train to be at their best in almost every competition, distance running carries a bit more nuance. Runners don't expect to record a personal best at every meet — progress is welcomed, of course, but it's all about peaking at the right time.
The Tigers know this, as the girls team hit their stride at the right moment last year and escaped the Pacific Conference Championships with a second-place finish and an automatic team qualifier to the state championships.
And they're trying to do it again this season.
“I think as a team we're kind of still wanting more and looking for more, and I think we expected more. But I think you will see a shift here in the last couple of weeks," Newberg head coach Keith Marshall said. "Last year, we came on really strong at the end and ended up getting second (at the conference championships). I believe we can do that again, and I think our girls just need to keep believing that and know that we’ll finish the year strong.”
If the conference championships happened today and each runner ran their best time this season, the girls team would finish fourth overall, 32 points behind McMinnville and 36 points behind Forest Grove. Sherwood is the heavy favorite to win the conference title, having all seven of its varsity runners currently holding a top-11 time in the conference.
It may seem like a wide gap, but it's nothing that can't be overcome with a near-perfect day of racing, such was the case for Newberg last year, recording six personal bests at the conference championships. Leading the way this year is a familiar face in junior Abigail Wheatley, whose personal best time of 19 minutes, 15.6 seconds slates her fourth overall in the conference.
“I think she still hasn’t run her best race yet, and even with that, she’s looking really good,” Marshall said.
Wheatley certainly looked good on Saturday, Sept. 28, finishing second overall in the Division 4 race at Nike Portland XC in 19:51.60. Elise Jones and Ketya Mushombe, who are sitting as Newberg's No. 3 and No. 7 runners, both recorded personal bests, finishing 42nd and 48th, respectively, with Jones clocking in at 23:25 and Mushombe at 23:43.70.
Hailey Smith and Sophia Carpenter rounded out the group, crossing 57th and 64th in 24:12 and 24:28.10.
Meanwhile, on the boys side, conference projections aren't as favorable, as the Tigers are predicted to finish sixth based off season-best times.
“We’re in probably the best league in the state for boys cross country,” Marshall said. “When you look at the league standings, we’re not necessarily up there very high right now, but we still have a very good team and a team that’s getting better every week.”
Unfortunately, the boys weren't afforded the opportunity to improve on their times at Nike Portland XC. There was a mix-up in the Division 1 race, sending the boys on an extra loop, running a further distance than the traditional 5K.
Although the boys likely won't receive an automatic bid to the state championships, they will surely be contender for years to come. Five of the team's seven varsity runners are sophomores and freshmen, all under the guidance of Marshall and a couple of grizzled veterans.
“We have a lot of young guys that have been led really well by a couple of seniors," Marshall said. "Mason Warberg and Arran Kay have set an example for them. Unfortunately, (Warberg’s) injured and not running, but he’s still there every day setting an example for those guys and coaching them up and leading them.”
“A lot of the young guys are following their lead and they’re progressing and getting better every week," Marshall continued. "I’m excited for our young guys and hopefully they keep getting the bug and keep getting excited, because there’s a big future there.”
Sophomore Henry Shaw boasts the Tigers' top time at 16:45.40, sitting 16th overall in the conference, followed by Kay at 17:02.70. Freshman Nolan Barber is third at 17:12.20. Junior Logan Kraner is behind him at 17:46.20, while freshman Axel Fisher clocks in at 18:37. Sophomores Luke Meadows and Adrian Weaver round out the group with times of 18:40.30 and 19:26.60, respectively.
“Axel Fisher had a great middle school career, if you want to call it that, so we expected him to come in and contribute right away,” Marshall said. “Henry Shaw has been injured, but we knew he was very talented, and we knew that he was a hard worker and that he was going to be big – he’s been our number one guy.”
Newberg's next competition will be the 17th Annual Nike Twilight XC Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Cedarcrest Golf Course in Marysville, Washington.
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