So far, so good for the Elder Cross Country team. Starting off the year with a couple of first place victories at the Wilmington Invitational and the Lebanon Warrior Invitational. They also had close finishes at the Miamisburg and Mason Invitationals.  The team is looking in top condition, thanks in big part to senior co-captains Eric Huff and Michael Huschart.

The two have both finished as the top two Elder runners in each of the first four races so far this year, with each of them going back and forth in terms of who finishes first, with Huschart having a 3-1 series advantage so far.

I was eventually able to chase them both down and ask them a few questions about themselves, the team, and their possible plans on running after college.

Huschart had great things to say about how his team has performed so far, and specifically named Ryan Schenkel as one of the runners who has really taken his game to the next level,

“We’re trying to find who we are as a team, but if certain guys step up then we definitely have a shot of going upstate. Ryan Schenkel is one of our guys that has really stepped up and carried the workload for the team. He has a great work ethic and knows what it takes to succeed.”

“For the rest of the year, my goals are to continue to be a role model for the younger guys on the team, and definitely to qualify for state.”

When asked about his plans to run post-Elder, Huschart said he hadn’t made the decision to run yet.

“I’m on the fence on running in college.”

Huff had similar things to say about his team, and was optimistic about Elder’s chances for the state championship,

“In the GCL, St. X will definitely be stout again. They’re tough to beat. But we’ve taken down LaSalle, and we should finish second in the GCL, hopefully giving the bombers a run for their money,

“In the state, we know we have some tough competition in our region, but we’re capable of making it to the state meet and running well up there.”

When it comes to guys who have shown that they run for Elder, Huff also names Schenkel as a major contributor but doesn’t forget to leave out my co-editor Nick Rackers as someone who has has stepped up their game,

“Nick Rackers has definitely been one of our studs this season. He’s one of the hardest working guys on the team. That, coupled with his competitive edge, has served him well in meets. In addition, sophomore Ryan Schenkel has embraced his role as a top 7 runner and been a great asset at the varsity level.”

“As for my goals, personally, I want to be our first man and get my time down into the low 16:00’s. As for the team, I’d like to see us continue to beat good competition, improve our collective confidence, and ultimately advance to the regional and state meets as a team.”

When I asked both captains about their rivalries with each other, they each gave totally different answers as to who is the superior runner,

Huff addressed the accusations that he’s over the hill, and that it’s time for him to hand over the top runner honor to his co-captain, by dismissing it and focusing on helping out the team,

“I say that I’m in better shape now than ever, and my one and only concern is doing all I can to ensure that this team realizes its full potential.”

Huschart, on the other hand, seemed confident that Huff has seen his last days as Elder’s top runner,

“Huff can’t hang.”

Elder’s Cross Country team takes part in the Alliance Invitational this Saturday at Miami Valley CTC, and this year’s GCL championship will be held in our very own Rapid Run Park on Saturday, October 11.

Good luck to all the cross country runners and here’s to having a great rest of the season!