This Week in Sports - Week #12 Part 2 TANDEM CROSS COUNTRY WINS THE VIRGINIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP! AGAIN!

 

 

As good a teammate as he is a runner, Hayes never leaves anyone behind. In practice, he's always shouting words of encouragement to his teammates. When somebody stumbles, he's always first to lend a hand, ready with an assuring grip and a steady smile. For Hayes, it's never just about his own performance or the medals he's won - it's about the whole team becoming champions together - stronger than they ever could have imagined. He took a few moments to recognize his accomplishment and then turned around to cheer for his teammates as they finished. You will not believe what he saw.

 

At the halfway point, Jack Blemker was locked in a fierce duel with the Veritas #2 runner. He understood how critical it was to beat them, how much was riding on this race - not just for him, but for his entire team. The rivalry between them had been building over the course of the season, each race adding another layer of intensity. Jack was up to the task. His focus was razor-sharp, breathing steadily as he strained his body to give everything he had. He could feel his legs burning, but pushed through the pain, his determination flaring with every step. With a surge of adrenaline, Jack narrowed his eyes and dug deeper, ready to do whatever it took to pull ahead.  

 

It's hard to run a negative split (run the second half of the race faster than the first) when you run the first mile in 5:02, but Jack found magical reserves as he went up the final hill. With an incredible effort, he finished in a time of 16:49 - fourth overall - giving Tandem a considerable cushion on Veritas' top two scorers (2nd and 8th). Those points proved to be absolutely critical as the scores were officially tallied at the conclusion of the race. More on that later.

 

A few weeks back, Miles had the race of his life, running 18:00 at the Panorama Course. Rather than take a victory lap, this only inspired Miles to work harder. Since that time, he has approached every interval of every workout with intensity, focus, and grit. Last week at the GPAC Championships, Miles dropped his time of 18:00 down to 17:21 - earning him all conference honors. For many athletes, those two races would have been enough. Simply put, Miles is not your average runner.

 

Miles studied the results of the Virginia Classical Conference Cross Country Championships last weekend. Veritas won - at Panorama Farms - and their times were fast. Miles knew that 17:21 was not going to be enough, and he acted accordingly. Today, with everything on the line, Miles ran as smooth as a river constantly flowing downstream. Each stride appeared effortless and rhythmic, like he was floating on the ground. His form was flawless - arms relaxed, shoulders loose and his feet barely touching the earth before springing forward again. There was a quiet confidence in his pace, an ease that others envied, knowing he was conserving energy while covering ground. As he approached the finish line with a calm, fluid motion, Miles ran a new PR of 17:08, 6th overall: Tandem had three runners ahead of the Veritas top 2.

 

Pressure mounted on the Badgers title hopes as the 3rd, 4th and 5th runners from Veritas finished in 16th, 17th and 20th respectively. For the Badgers, their margin of error was gone - our 4th and 5th scoring runners had to be at their absolute best for us to have a chance. Peter has understood his role since the very beginning. He's been a steady anchor - and he went out hard - with Veritas runners on either side of him. Our competition understood the assignment: beat Peter and beat Tandem. Clearly, they've never actually met Peter.

 

With 200 meters to go, Peter emerged from the final hill of the race. He was in an all out sprint - emptying the tank as the finish line came into view. With Veritas on his right, Peter found yet another cheetah-like gear, passing our top division rival and finishing in a PR of 18:48 - 50 SECONDS FASTER than his last race at Panorama Farms and 11 SECONDS FASTER than his all conference effort at Darden Towe.

 

Even with all those incredible performances, the meter was still running. Cross Country is scored by adding your top 5 places together - the lowest score wins. With Veritas scoring runners through the chute, the Badgers needed to close the door on our point total. We needed somebody to step up and have the race of his life. Enter Gabriel, John and Jack Johnson.

 

A look was exchanged as two opposing runners bumped into each other. Gabriel telepathically told John and Jack J "now! Let's go around them! Let's see how many we can pass before the finish." Clearly the message was received, as Gabriel increased his pace from "6th gear to 7th gear." He passed five runners before making the descent to the finish. Then, at the top of the final hill, the Tandem 400 meter record holder had exactly his favorite distance to go in the race. It was the stretch where he felt most alive, where he could unleash his full power and speed without holding back. With the crowd roaring, Gabriel crossed the line in a new PR of 19:22, with John hot on his tail in a PR of 19:40 and Jack J in 19:41! All three runners dropped FORTY SECONDS - and each was absolutely critical in the outcome of the meet. Every point matters! Jack J was our final displacer and the Tandem score was finalized!

 

Jason predicted that the boys would need to finish with less than 60 points in order to be crowned 2024 VISAA Cross Country State Champions... we scored 59 - and Veritas gave us everything they had - they scored 63! As the awards announcer shouted "In second place, with 63 points, Veritas School!" the Tandem Badgers, knew exactly what that meant... and acted like we've been here before - because we have! Being the favorite instead of an underdog is a tough headspace to be in - but this team has been dialed in for the last six months. Hayes, Jack B, Miles, Peter, Gabriel, John, Jack J, Jack N (20:08), Will (20:25) and Brendan (20:39 - 40 second PR) earned this VISAA state title! The Tandem Badgers have run challenging workouts everyday - including the weekend - ranging from Big Mac Hills to Newton's to Man Makers and the Michigan. Trust me when I say those workouts are HARD!

The 2024 Tandem Varsity Boys Cross Country team are VISAA Division III State Champions! CONGRATULATIONS! What an incredible accomplishment! There are a lot of runners in this big state, but nobody is tougher and or has worked harder than this very special group - they have been focused, tenacious and supportive of one another from Day 1. We are so incredibly proud of you!!!!

 

The Tandem Girls made their Division III debut today, and the rest of the state was put on notice. Coming off of an epic GPAC Championship in which Lucy earned all conference honors, she knew she had a chance to do something special today. A risk taker with no fear, Lucy ran as if the ground itself were carrying her forward. Her heart pounded not from nerves, but from exhilaration, a wild joy that coursed through her veins.  With Fredericksburg Academy runners in her pack, Lucy zeroed in on the challenge to break through every limit. Today was truly her day - and she blew past her competition as she finished with a performance that meets even her high standards. 22:33 (a 26 second PR) is an elite performance for our top female runner. Additionally, Lucy found herself on the stage with a medal around her neck - she is a member of the All Virginia State Team!

 

With a tight spread (time from the top runner to the fifth runner) the Tandem Girls Cross Country team was on a mission. Now in her fourth race at Panorama Farms, Claire saved her best for last. Her time of 24:01 is a course PR, and she earned 25th place overall! Eloise (24:24) and Hazel (24:42) were hot on her tail, as they worked together throughout the race. Eloise has exceeded expectations over and over again - does she have any limits? Eloise crushed the second half of the race, gaining ground with each powerful stride. Her legs moved with a precision and strength that surprised even her. She ran 26:15 at Panorama Farms three weeks ago, and 25:54 at Fredericksburg Academy two weeks ago. Today? Her aforementioned time of 24:24 is a NINETY SECOND PR, competing in a field of athletes nearly all of whom are older than her!

 

With an incredible final kick, Sadie closed the door on Tandem's point total. Her PR of 25:27 - FIFTY SECONDS - was highlighted in the last 200 meters where Sadie zipped past six different runners! Her performance is a big part of why the Badgers did more than just finish in the top ten!  

 

The running community is one of kindness, intelligence and heart. As Julia rounded the final curve tonight, her true spirit of empathy and understanding was on display. She held hands with a runner from another school who fell down earlier in the race. Together, Julia and her new friend finished in a time of 27:29 - and shared a hug as they accomplished something beautiful in Tandem. Julia recently returned from an injury, and she was tough as could be as she completed the challenging 5K course in surprisingly warm November weather this afternoon. We are very proud of you, Julia!

 

"I was competing in the race the whole time," Laurel told me "and most of it was a blur." She remembered the part where the boys team climbed on top of the hay bails to cheer her on as she started her third mile. Laurel had already run her fastest two miles of the season - but she was not feeling any fatigue. Instead, she discovered a toughness within her, guiding her to a new PR of 28:50 (OVER A MINUTE FASTER) than her GPAC qualifying race at Panorama a few weeks back. She has improved every single day - running with spirit and positivity. Now she's got confidence to go with it. Hot on her tail, Malena finished the Panorama Farms course for the first time - her new course PR of 29:14 is a tribute to all of the hard work she has put in this season!

 

The Tandem Girls Varsity Cross Country team earned a 5th Place Finish among VISAA Division Three! Lucy took home all state honors, and with an average time of 24:14 and no seniors on the roster, the entire state of Virginia has been put on notice! Congratulations to the girls on an awesome performance today and throughout the season!

 

My first day at Tandem was a Wednesday. I was pretty nervous as I had just arrived in Charlottesville and didn't know anybody. Before I went to school for the first time, I drove to Darden Towe Park to find my Cross Country people. It was an awfully enthusiastic bunch for a hot July morning - and every single runner was kind, supportive, welcoming and a whole lot of fun! Oh, and did I mention fast? I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of the 2024 Tandem Cross Country team. Thank you so much to our coaches and all of these extraordinary athletes - I simply could not be more proud of you. This was a true team effort, and every one of you gave it your absolute best. There are not a whole lot of high school athletes that get to call themselves state champions: you do!!!!

 

Our coaches have been absolutely extraordinary. Jason, Ned and I have been talking about this day since literally the moment I met them. Jason has given his heart and soul to preparing the best possible workouts, speeches and schedule to put this team in the best possible position to succeed. He has an uncanny ability to relate to and connect with every single runner - a big part of why our team is so large. Ned has executed every single one of those workouts - running easily with the individual state champion. Most high school athletes do not have a coach who can be a trainer partner - and give feedback and instruction - the way Ned does everyday. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to work alongside you wonderful people. Thank you both!

 

Congratulations, Tandem. State Champions. You did it!