Cherokee Cross Country Pictures, 2021, Page II





The Season Begins!


There's still lots of "preparation" to go because we're looking to the season-ending championship meets more than the season-beginning ones! But the first of the season's meets are close -- and they are challenging -- so you have to get your bodies and minds ready to RACE and RACE SMART! Interestingly, some athletes look on their upcoming race days with dread but it should be exactly the opposite. You've been working for months, you've prepared . . . and now is your chance to show what you can do! GO FOR IT! GO CHIEFS!





~~ Race Day ~~

By now, even Cherokee's beginners should know how to deal with "race day." One key "rule:" plan to be early for everything! (BTW, that's not a bad "rule" for your entire life!) The coach will tell you when to be at school and you must plan on how long it will take you get out of bed, bathe, brush your teeth, eat breakfast, etc. and get to school on time! If the bus leaves at a certain time and you're not there, the bus will leave without you (and the coach and the team will hold a grudge because you're important)! The second "rule" is to chat with others about their pre-race plans! It's amazing what the more experienced runners know!

The night before, you prep by eating a normal meal that stresses carbohydrates but not "carbohydrate loading" . . . load nothing! -- maybe some spaghetti with marinara sauce, a salad, some bread, maybe a few pieces of pizza, a reasonable dessert -- but don't pig out! Hydrate! Before bed, put your kit together: everything you imagine you'll need to be ready to race. Just in case, don't depend on the coach for anything: bring water, recovery bars, snacks, pins, etc. Check the weather and, if it's cool, consider "layering' because you can always remove extra layers but, if you don't have them and need them, you're out of luck! If rain is in the forecast, pack for it: don't be one of those losers who spends a rainy day in a wet t-shirt and shorts because he planned badly!

Sleep well! That's up to 8 hours and, when the bus leaves at 7:30 AM, it ain't easy getting there when you go to bed at 1:00 AM!

The morning of the race, breakfast should be timed properly and light: you never want to get to a starting line with a full or an empty stomach! If hours early, have a normal breakfast -- normal, not 3 Egg McMuffins! If you're up a little later but still hours before race time, maybe a bagel with jelly, cream cheese, a piece of fruit . . ..

At the course, learn the course THAT DAY! Yes, you may have been there before but changes happen and sometimes overnight. Focus on your race and not your opponents. Plan your race: have a decent start but don't try to be first at the 400m mark (no medals there!); work hills but don't sprint up the hills; take advantage of the downhills; on serpentine courses try to leave your opponents behind at every turn; RACE the course and don't just cover the miles; RACE THROUGH the finish line and don't get passed at the last moment, etc.

In the race, be tough but have fun! At the start, you'll be somewhat nervous, the adrenalin will be flowing, but you should be anticipating great things! Have confidence! You've been working really hard and now is the time to show others how you've improved . . . how really good you are! Enjoy it!

That said, if things aren't going as you expected, don't lose faith! Don't look at runners who may be pulling ahead, maybe far ahead of you, and lose faith in yourself! Instead, break the race down into smaller pieces: make it you against the three guys within 20 meters of you and pass them! Then look at the next three guys and go after them! Don't get depressed and quit! Keep your focus: you're RACING! You may not be in the top 10, 20 or 50 but you're still racing to the finish! (And, just an aside, when our photographer takes your picture sometime during the race don't let him see a whipped dog . . . head up, arms swinging, knees lifting! ; < )

Afterwards, go home, look in that mirror again and be able to say, that's a champion in the making!

GO CHEROKEE! GO CHIEFS!




~~ Cherokee Challenge ~~

On September 11, 2021, an ideal day for cross country racing, the team hosted the 25th Annual Cherokee Challenge!

The meet is monumental in its scope and operation and, this year, over 2200 athletes finished their races!

Coach Shaklee provided these brief comments on the top Cherokee performances in the meet:

"The Cherokee boys started the 2021 cross country season on a positive note at the 25th Cherokee Challenge! Off the strength of two 1st place finishes by Nick Kuenkel and Patrick Ditmars in the sophomore and junior races, [Editor's note: is it the hair?!} the team finished 3rd in the Boys Division and combined with the girls team to win the Co-Ed Division of the meet! More importantly, when looking at the combined results (which are a better indication of team strength) the boys placed 2nd behind Summit High School in a field of 70 teams!

"Both Nick and Patrick won their races convincingly, leading from early on in the race all the way to the finish! Nick's time was the 2nd fastest of the day and only a second off of the sophomore course record! In addition to those two, other strong races were turned in by Team Co-Captain Bradley Popler (26th in the Senior race), Bobby Poplau and Andrew Free (9th and 14th among the Sophomores), and Zach Ciabottoni and Liam Tindell (29th and 30th among the Freshmen)!

"While any of the above mentioned runners could lay claim to Athlete of the Meet Award, the coaches decided that the honor should go to Freshman, Zach Ciabottoni, who finished 29th in a field of 319 runners and earned a medal in the first cross country race of his life! Great job, Zach! GO ZACH!

"Next, the team will travel to the shore area to compete in the Battle at Ocean County Park!"

Special thanks to the unsung helpers at the meet: the many parents who helped set-up the course and then provided guidance to the runners at those awkward places along the way; and those parents who set-up and ran the concession stand . . . those administrators, the Athletic Director, Mr Agnew, and the District's IT expert, Mr. Callinan who insured everything ran smoothly; the maintenance guys who were active all day; and to John Deere for supplying those trucks that moved everything, except the runners, around the campus!

Reuben Frank, formerly at the Burlington County Times and now at NBC Sports, Philadelphia, is back at his blog, SJ Track Blog: From the Backstretch and his glowing article, "Cherokee's Nick Kuenkel runs second fastest time ever in Cherokee Challenge Sophomore Race!!!!!" is featured! Also, it's copied on our server at Frank's Blog. For those new to Mr. Frank's blog, he suggests the importance of a particular article by adding exclamation points from one through five! His English and Journalism teachers are turning in their graves but it's fun to debate. With the five exclamation points following the title of his article on Nick, Mr. Frank suggests Nick's feat was FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

And speaking of fantastic, meet results, interviews, pictures, videos and an incredible amount of meet information at: NJ.MileSplit.

Our insane photographer took over 3,000 pictures, many of which he posted on MileSplit. He re-did the team pictures and here are a few he selected from each race for the website! All the team pictures are available on the District's Google site!


We're not firm believers in the story going around that our top runners are strengthened by the length of their hair but, Moms and Dads, if a gal named Delilah shows up at your door, don't let her in!


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~~ Sometimes an athlete can't be found in the mob. Don't worry, there are many opportunities throughout the season! ~~


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~~ Battle at Ocean County Park ~~

On September 17, 2021, the team traveled to The Battle of Ocean County Park in Lakewood, NJ.

OK, we're working on the report and the pictures but we came across an early picture that raises a question! Imagine you're at a casino in Atlantic City and you're betting on the cross country race at Ocean County Park. The monitor shows pictures of athletes racing at the half-way mark and you can still bet on who's going to win! Check this out! The athlete on the left has already lost the race: he's whining inside, "Oh Mama, it hurts . . . help me . . . " and it's showing all over his face! The guy on the right appears unfazed and determined! Is he hurting? Probably, but he ain't showin' it! Where are you putting your money?! (Keep that in mind!)


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Coach Shaklee sent the following comments on the meet:

"The Cherokee team had a good outing at the Battle at Ocean County Park on Friday, September 17th. Liam Tindell got things started on a positive note for the team with his 10th place finish in the Freshman 2 Mile event! Liam ran a well-paced race and moved up steadily from start to finish! Tyler Newton and Noah Prate also showed significant improvement from their time at the Cherokee Challenge a week earlier!

"The Sophomore, Junior and Senior races were all 5K's and the team results were a huge improvement over the Cherokee Challenge! Converting the Cherokee Challenge 3200 performances to equivalent 5K times, we only had five runners under 18:00! At the Battle at OCP, TWELVE Cherokee runners went under 18:00 and six were under 17:00!

"In the Sophomore race, four Cherokee athletes ran under 18:00 led by Nick Kuenkel who remained undefeated with his dominating win! Nick just stayed with the lead pack until the 2 mile mark and then ran away from them over the last mile, winning by a comfortable 19 second margin! Bobby Poplau had a big race to finish 5th in 16:52! Andrew Free was 13th in 17:26 while Matteo Evola was 24th in 17:51! Others showing significant improvement from their Cherokee Challenge race were Luke Reistle, Julian Hatch, Akshath Thavanai and Myron Paes!

"The Junior Race was highlighted by the individual victory of Patrick Ditmars who ran his first sub-16:00 5K to win by 13 seconds! Conor Jacob was much improved from his Challenge performance, finishing in 9th place! Tommy Bromley and Ben Hackney also showed significant improvement with each running well under 18:00! One of the best races of the day came from Danny Hassall who not only broke 20:00 for the first time but also 19:00 and came close to 18:00 running a huge PR of 18:06! Ethan Weisenberg had a similar great race dropping his 5K PR all the way from 21:51 to 19:24!

"Finally, the Seniors were not to be outdone with four of them running under 18:00 and two under 17:00! Bradley Popler improved his 5K time from 17:19 to 16:37 while Joe Natoli dropped his from 17:26 to 16:42! Jameson Crozier and Aiden Dickinson both recorded new 5K PR's and sub-18:00 performances! In addition, Lucas Hatch had his fastest 5K ever, running 18:06 while new-to-XC-runners, Evan and Josh Pawlik both ran very well!

"Overall, a good day for the Cherokee team who finished 2nd in the merged results behind the State's # 1 ranked team, Ridge High School!"

Reuben Frank picked-up on this story in his blog, SJ Track Blog: From the Backstretch and wrote, "Patrick Ditmars, Nick Kuenkel win class races and Cherokee averages 16:23 at Battle @ Ocean County Park!!!" The article is copied on our server at Frank's Blog.

Details, including additional pictures and video, at: NJ.MileSplit.

The pictures below and a number of new ones are now posted on the District's Google site!


1st Place




Medal winners




Medal winners




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~~ Batch Meet #1 ~~

On September 21, 2021, the team separated with part of the team remaining at home to train while another part traveled to DREAM Park for Batch Meet #1. More on that next week, after Batch Meet #2.

Details at: NJ.MileSplit.

Here are a few pictures from the meet. These and others are on the District's Google page.


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