How far back do we have to go to find the genesis of what we witnessed Saturday?  The day Zach was cut from soccer?  The day Thom decided to trade football for cross-country?  The day Foxy hurt his foot and spent the rest of the year frustrated and questioning his future as a runner?  The day Nate had a disappointing state meet in 2008 and decided "never again"?  The day Mossy ran 10:18 in the 2-mile, out of nowhere?  The day Steenky decided last spring to train seriously over the summer?  The day Matt was no longer Matty Feely, middle school phenom, but Matt, the high school iron-man?

Maybe it was only a matter of moments - when we spoke quietly in our huddle and looked each other in the eye.  And decided.  

Truth is, it was all these times.  And countless more.  Some to which you have never given a second thought.  Others which were watershed moments in your young lives.  All of these things were tiny building blocks in the foundation of what became the greatest team performance in cross-country with which I have ever had the privilege of being associated.  

That's right.  More than the championship teams in 2006 and 2007.  No slight intended toward Cassie, Maureen, Courtney, Alison, Kara, Heather, Shannon, Greg, Mike, Tyler, Dan, Anthony, Adam, and Gabe.  All 14 of them would agree.  We were expected to win those titles, on paper at least.  They delivered.  

We arrived Saturday ranked 3rd in Division 1, a place we had solidified by losing to Salesianum and Charter all season long.  Two extremely talented, well-coached, and DEEP teams.  We could have run well, had our best race of the season, in fact, and still finished third.  Instead, we looked each other in the eye in a circle thick with emotion, love, loyalty, shared suffering, and brotherhood. 

And I have never been so happy to finish 2nd in my life.  Like the Who's of Whoville, you celebrated anyway...without packages, boxes, or bags.  Somehow, you grew more in defeat than in victory.  And, dare I say, it was only a defeat mathematically.  We lost to the better team.  I'm not afraid to say it, nor should you be afraid to embrace it.  Doesn't diminish a single thing you did out there that day.  

You will forget the score.  You will pack away the medals.  You will not lament a thing.  You will remember the guts with which you ran.  The celebration of an effort you knew right away was something extraordinary.  The tears of adults you don't even know.  The tears of teammates whose pride in you could not be contained.  These people are our 8th man, guys.  The moms, dads, grandparents, brothers, sisters, girlfriends, teammates, alumni, and anyone who had just a little green and gold running through their blood that day - it wouldn't have happened without them.  We can only put seven on the line.  Our supporters are legion.

Zach, you did it.  You won the championship that drove you since placing 12th as a junior.  And you won it before you even set foot on campus this fall.  Miles of Trials.  Trials of Miles.  You won it despite relentless and forceful challenges from Matt McKenna and Charlie Field all season long.  The Salesianum duo never gave you an inch, never let you rest, and forced you to be as strong and attentive as you always are.

Thom, if you were still playing football we wouldn't be the team we are.  I don't know which is greater - the hole you left on the football team or the one you filled here.  And you have barely even begun to scratch the surface of your potential.  Glide on, Stork.  Glide on.

Foxy, welcome back.  And not just from the foot injury that took away virtually your entire sophomore year.  But also from the precipice of quitting the sport out of frustration.  Yeah, I knew.  You displayed guts and perseverance, and eventually, even a little patience.  We look to you now to lead.

Nate, you came up huge.  Yours was the race of the day, in my opinion.  I also think it was your greatest race so far, in any venue.  I've never heard you so determined, so serious, as you were on Friday.  Your comments to the team were better than everything I said.

Mossy, I am convinced the 10:18 you ran last spring was the turning point.  I am still asking "Where the he!! did that come from??"  Along with Foxy, you learned to be patient when dealing with injury this fall and gained confidence through trusting your fitness.  And beating me in ping-pong, which you know was a fluke.  

Steenky...God, I love that nickname.  Sorry, it just came to me.  If someone told me last spring you were going to be Varsity this fall, I would have said they were crazy.  (or God help us.)  You are the guy on the cereal box when it comes to summer training.  You are the embodiment of "Do the work, reap the rewards."

Matty:  You probably haven't heard that outside your home since 5th grade, but I knew you as Matty long before you dropped the sometimes-a-vowel at the end of your name.  Even though you're just a sophomore, I bet you still have run more XC races than anyone on the team.  Your emergence this year as a bonafide top-7 guy (with a much deeper voice) stabilized our varsity early on.  

All of you, and in that I include all JV runners and their families, Zach's dogs, and Czerwinski's hairy bookbag - thank you.  Thank you for being a part of something that makes it easy, if not quite pleasant, to get out of bed in the morning.  Thank you for modeling the excellence, humility, integrity, and faith, qualities I so inadequately try to teach my own son. 

My pride in you was never higher than it was on Saturday.  And still is.