The Cross Country team has had an impressive start to their season. So far the girls’ team has a record of 2-0 and the boys have a record of 1-1. These records are for individual meets, but the majority of the cross country competitions are invitationals. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams have competed in the Granite City, Peoria, Edwardsville, and Springfield invitationals. The Peoria “First to the Finish” Invite is especially competitive with over 630 participants just in the girl’s 2A race. The JHS girls placed 27th out of 51 teams and the boys placed 43th out of 52 teams.
JHS’s biggest competitors in the Central State 8 conference are SHG, Glenwood, and Springfield High whom Coach VanBebber says JHS uses as a “measuring stick” to gauge their performance. Junior Emma Chelsvig says her personal rival is Highland’s Allison Zobrist.
Last year, Jacksonville’s Emma Chelsvig qualified for state and Coach Vanbebber says that he “fully expects her to qualify again.” Chelsvig says that last year she didn’t get the place she hoped for and is anxious to try to improve her times and hopefully make it again. Her goal is to move up from 72nd from last year to the top thirty, which is considered All-State.
Both VanBebber and Chelsvig say that they have seen much improvement in their already strong team, even this early in the season. Members have been striving to “push past the pain” to succeed both in practice and in competitions. They believe that what the team needs to work on most to reach its fullest potential is mental toughness, confidence, and focus. If the team continues to buckle down and take their training seriously, the rest of their season should be just as successful as their triumphant beginning.
Support the cross country team on October 5th at 9:30 a.m for the Jacksonville Invite at Community Park.