Cross country is all about timing


This year, luck has worked in favor Central Michigan University’s men’s cross country team.

Without graduating any key athletes, the maroon and gold gained an outstanding transfer student, Silas Dekalita, and two highly competitive freshmen, Joseph Emmanuel and Alec Toreki.

It has been ten years since the men have won a Mid-American Conference title, and this is the year they can get it back. It’s also the first time since 2007 that the MAC Championships will be held at home.

Eastern Michigan University is favored to win but they’re not unbeatable.

For the Chippewas to get that win at home, however, the proverbial stars must align-every runner must be on his A-game for Saturday’s race.

We can expect lead runner, Nate Ghena, to have a solid race and earn the team points, and Dekalita should be right up there with him.

What will really make or break the Chippewas, however, is how the following five men perform.

In cross country, five athletes score in any given race. Better places earn the team more points.

An additional pair of athletes do not score, but still place in the race, thus lowering the scores of any athletes who place behind them.

For CMU, this second group is key. This year, the team is deeper than ever, and there’s a full arsenal of men who can fill those three through seven spots.

With senior Ethan Lievense coming back in Saturday, the field will be even more competitive.

While this pack is deep, fast and hard working, it hasn’t been altogether consistent. Throughout this season, there hasn’t been a race where everyone has been at his best at the same time.

The real key to victory is making sure this second pack is in sync Saturday.

If everyone, runners one through nine, runs in perfect coordination, then the Chippewas have a chance at being the first CMU team in ten years to win the MAC Championship.

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