Big 8 Grade Level Challenge - 2nd Place

The Big Eight descended upon Rockport Park in Janesville Tuesday night for the Big 8 Grade Level Challenge. This race awards not only the top teams but the teams who are balanced across all grade levels. The athletes are scored in their grade level and the team scores are determined by scoring seven runners from any of the grade levels. Tuesday night combined the 3 H's that make cross country hard...it was hilly, hot, & humid. The beauty of cross country though is that everyone has to deal with the same conditions. So even though times weren't fast Tuesday night, our team competed really well and that was all we could ask for. This led to nine JMM boys finishing in the top ten in their individual grade levels and the team earning a 2nd place finish in the team standings. This is the BEST finish JMM has had at this meet. We also got a preview of the Conference meet course and are excited to get back here in October with hopefully nicer weather.

Top 10 Finishers
AJ (1st) & Jack (8th) - Frosh
Jake (5th) & Mick (8th) - Soph
Dylan (2nd), Bobby (4th), & Cole (6th) - Jr
Brett (4th) & Jacob W (5th) - Sr

The night started with the Frosh/Soph race where AJ K established himself at the front of the race and pulled away late to earn an overall victory and 1st place for our Frosh. Not far behind him was Jake Z (5th) and Mick (8th) who earned top 10 finishes in the sophomore race. Jakob M followed up next with a great race and Jack G (8th) was right behind him earning a top ten finish in the freshman race. If the freshman had been scored as a normal race all on their own our boys would have taken 2nd to Verona and if the sophomores were scored this way they would have been third behind Laf and West. This group has the potential for big things in the coming years...the question is, can we do the little things to take this group and JMM CC to the next level. Only the future will tell but we have great promise across these groups.

The Jr/Sr race looked like a dual meet between Laf and Memorial at times...LaF is ranked 3rd in the state and showed why on Tuesday night but our guys made a huge jump from when we saw them 2 weeks ago at Verona. At Verona we had no athletes in their top 5 and tonight we had 2 runners who cracked their top 5 and others very close. As we move towards the Conference meet, every position will be important and hopefully we can continue to catch and pass many of these Big 8 runners. Dylan led our team through the race earning a 3rd place finish overall and a runner-up finish among the juniors. Bobby (4th) came in next with Cole (6th) not far behind giving us 3 juniors in the top ten. Brett (4th) and Jacob W (5th) had great races too also finishing in the top 10 in the senior race. These guys took an opportunity tonight to race on a tough course and in tough conditions and rose to the occasion. Their leadership on and off the course is helping this team move back to the position we should be in the Big 8. 

As we cross the half way point of the season it is important we are taking care of ourselves to take the most advantage of all our hard work that will determine what the last weeks of the season will be like. To accomplish our team goals we will need Every Runner, Every Run, Every Day. Back to the grind and taking care of business in the classroom. Next stop the Smiley Invite.

RESULTS
All Races
Team Results

NEXT MEET
Saturday September 21st
Smiley Invite (Wausau East) @ Tribute GC - Wausau, WI
Bus 5:30am (Set TWO Alarms)
8:30 - First Race
10:00 - D1 Races Start
11:10 - D1 Boys Varsity (2018 Results)
11:35 - D1 Boys JV (2018 Results)
12:00 - Awards - Varsity = 2 teams & 20 individual, JV = 1 team & 20 individual
***Bring $$ - We will stop to eat on the way home...we hope to return to JMM around 4:30pm

UPCOMING EVENTS
Sept 25th (Wed) - Light of Life Walk 6:00 - 6:45pm (team event...cancer research fundraiser as a part of homecoming week festivities) ALL athletes will participate - $5 to Coach Casey....families are welcome to join - $5 at Mansfield Stadium

NEWS & NOTES
** Change of schedule for Midwest Invite races....info to be e-mailed to athletes/parents this week
** PSAT testing for Memorial is the same day as Conference (10/19)....if you contact your counselor you can take the test instead on Wed at Middleton, East, or Edgewood but spots are limited....PLAN AHEAD...contact your counselor this week!