Every Titan contributes to Union’s cross country victory
Cross country coaches are always trying to teach their runners about the importance of teamwork and how every runner on the team can contribute to a victory even if they don’t score.
Union coach Scott Eschels was presented with a golden teaching example Tuesday in the Titans’ first dual-meet of the season.
In cross country meets, each team consists of seven runners. Runners score points for their teams based on their overall finish. The first-place runner scores one point. The second-place runner scores two points, etc. The first five runners on each team comprises the team’s point total, and the lowest score wins.
But that doesn’t mean a team’s No. 6 or 7 runners cannot affect the final score. If either runner can finish ahead of its opponent’s No. 5 runner, it can add to the opposing team’s point total.
That’s what happened Tuesday at Pacific Park when Union’s Nos. 6 and 7 runners — freshmen Miguel De La Melena and Carson Sork — finished ahead of Skyview’s No. 5 runner, allowing Union to escape with a 28-29 victory.
“And those three runners were separated by six seconds,” Eschels said. “That was the meet right there. … Skyview is a really good team, and I’m sure we’re going to be battling them right down to the district meet.”
