The Streetsboro Rockets boys’ cross country team has worked throughout the season to run tight as a pack. Streetsboro’s pack-running strategy worked when it came in fifth place at the Metro Athletic Conference meet, scoring 132 points with an 18-25-26-31-32 finish last Thursday afternoon at the Silver Creek Metro Park in Norton.
“I could not be prouder of what the boys were able to do and are capable of doing,” said Coach Adam Miller. “They put everything out on that course and raced their hearts out. To me it was not another day of running, but it was a day of racing, and they showed up for it.”
Sophomore Preston Krzemenski paced the Rockets by taking 21st place with a time of 18:01.70, followed by sophomore Aiden Beaver who finished in 30th place by clocking 18:24.90, sophomore Ryan Haber clinched 31st place by logging 18:26.00, junior Troy Mazer came in 38th place at 18:38.60, and sophomore Brendan Malloy captured 39th place with a time of 18:40.20.
Although the Rockets finished in fifth place, they recorded the lowest spread out of any team at the MAC meet as the top five runners were separated by only 38.60 seconds.
According to the first-year coach, once the first Streetsboro runner crossed the finish line, it would not be long before a flurry of Rockets followed suit.
“I was confident that they would start coming in tight from that point,” he said. “I was at the base of the hill about 400 feet from the finish, and they knew what they were looking for.”
Miller said that the Rockets have worked to tighten the pack over the season, and their showing at the MAC meet was the best display of pack-running they have demonstrated thus far.
Streetsboro was fueled by Krzeminski, who led the team at the MAC meet by being the first runner to cross the finish line.
Miller noted that Krzeminski has been running at the front of the Rockets’ pack all season, and the league meet was no exception.
“Preston has been constantly up in that front, he has always been one of one or two runners,” added. “He is highly competitive and highly motivated, and the team responds well to him, and he thrives well under that pressure.
On the girls’ side, Streetsboro gutted out a team finish of seventh place as it recorded 190 points with a 26-34-39-44-47 finish.
Senior Kaelyn Malloy came in 28th place with a time of 22:15.50, followed by junior Cara Thomson who took 43rd place by clocking 23:42.20, junior Harmony Cook finished in 58th place at 25:18.60, freshman Ariana Mrak clinched 71st place with a time of 26:44.20 and sophomore Reagan Rippey snagged 72nd place at 26:48.50.
“They have worked hard all year long and we have struggled through some injuries to a couple of our top girls so for them to compete as they did on Thursday made me very proud and I am looking forward to the postseason,” said Coach Larry Hoffman.
With a crowded field in the top flight, Hoffman said that the Rocket girls focused on their pack-running, as they have been fueled by Malloy and Thomson as their top two runners but have worked on closing the gap between them and the next three runners.
On Thursday, the gap significant closed as although there was still separation between Cook and the top two Streetsboro runners, Mrak and Rippey stayed connected and Rippey crossed the finish line just seconds behind Mrak.
“They did great as they have done all year long,” Hoffman noted. “They battled and they don’t ever give up, they are always pushing and always trying to get ahead of that next runner, I never had a doubt about that.”
Malloy paced the Rockets as the lead runner, and Hoffman cited Malloy’s senior leadership as a key attribute that the team has needed this season as she is the only senior running in the top five.
“She has taken that role to lead this year, and she has dived in and done a great job of leading this whole girls’ team,” he added.
The Rockets will carry their momentum into the postseason, as they will race at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III Northeast district meet at Lorain Community College on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
