Seven of the Wadsworth Cross Country women athletes are moving on to the Nationals race on Nov. 2 after competing in the 5k Division I race on Oct. 19. 

Zachary Humrichouser, the coach of the women’s Wadsworth Cross Country team, said that the race ended up far better than he expected and that he was very proud of the team. 

“Going in, our goal was to be [one of the teams to advance on to regionals] and the girls raced with a level of intensity and determination that I’ve only seen, maybe, a couple of times in my seven years of coaching here,” Humrichouser said. 

The team finished first overall, with an average time of 20 minutes and 1.12 seconds for the 5k Division I race. 

In the race, the top seven girls on the team race. The seven girls who raced were Maggie Gerschutz, Rowan King, Ella Dolgowicz, Ollie Smith, Cami Ross, Kyleigh Friedl and Natalie Buzard. 

“What makes this team special is how much they empower one another,” Humrichouser said. “It’s a sport that’s  based on time, and that can get heavy, but the way that they support one another, the way that they cheer and the way they build a cross country family is very special.”

Humrichouser also mentioned that the girls on the team are willing to sacrifice individual achievement for team success, which Maggie Gerschutz, one of the athletes on the team, can attest to. 

“I think during practice, [we] think about each other and help each other through the good and bad days,” Gerschutz said. “In a race, [we] don’t just think about ourselves, but the team as a whole.”

Gerschutz says that it becomes very important, because it helps build up the team and make them better, especially when it comes to the important races, like the D1 race. 

“[The Division 1 race] went really well,” Gerschutz said. “Our hard work is really showing in our performances, I think we are coming together really well as a team. I’m definitely nervous [for the upcoming Nationals race] because it’s a much bigger field and a lot of competition. But, that also makes me really excited because I love running with people who are going to push me [to do well].”

She said that she is very glad to have such a supportive team and coaches, and has high hopes for the upcoming nationals race.