Four seniors. Fourteen meets. Two All-Conference runners. One Regional. One Sectional.

Being led by seniors Bobo Anghel, Tommy Castino, Zach Besson and Danny Ressler, the boys varsity cross country team had a successful season: both captains, Besson and Ressler, made All-Conference; this year was Ressler’s second time making All-Conference while it was Besson’s first time being awarded this honor.

“The seniors we have had, especially those that have been in the program for four years, have done a tremendous job of really taking the younger kids under their wings and really helping them and guiding them along and helping them grow as runners. That’s going to be tough to replace,” boys cross country’s coach Chris Bailey said.

One of the team’s high points in the season was having all seven runners finish within 18 minutes in one meet. On Saturday, Sept. 20, each runner finished in under 18 minutes with the slowest time being 17:55. During the meet two runners, Besson and Ressler, finished in under 16 minutes. In Bailey’s seven years of coaching, his team never saw this much success.

“I think we did fine. We had our ups and downs but I think we had some really really bright moments especially Zach and Danny being All-Conference. It’s a really tough thing to achieve and both of those guys got it,” Bailey said. “Team-wise, we finished about where we were supposed to in Conference. It wasn’t a great thing but it wasn’t like we had a bad day either. I think we just kind of  finished about where we were supposed to.”

Finishing 15th at Sectionals, Antioch competed in one of the toughest Regionals and Sectionals in Illinois; their ability to not only make it to Sectionals, but also finish in front of three other teams, should not be taken for granted.

“The team qualified for Sectionals. My first three years here the boys did not qualify for the Sectional meet, but the last three years we have. So, I think you see the program going in the right direction and there were definitely bright moments with one of those being Sectional qualifiers,” said Bailey. “The senior leadership is key…especially in the Regional meet. Being there before gave [the team] the confidence to run in Regionals and qualify for Sectionals.”

With so many bright moments this season, it was difficult for Bailey to choose what his favorite memory was.

“I think seeing Zach who was in 31st place with 100 meters to go [in a race] knowing that he had to be in the top 30 to qualify. He just put his head down to go and to me that showed the fight that he has and the pride that he has. The team has that as well,” said Bailey. “But we had a lot of fun moments. We took a day trip over the summer and went to Camp Henry Horner. Just to see the camaraderie between the guys and the fun they have outside of practice, pasta parties and hang outs on their own, just shows you what a tight group these guys are.”

The boys were successful in their races and had plenty of fun outside of practices and meets, which made this season memorable for both the players and Coach Bailey. But all of the moments that involved success and laughter could not compare to their Regional meet, which was dedicated to Kaegan Oslage, who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. He is the son of Antioch’s track and field Coach Dan Oslage.

The boys dedicated the whole race to Kaegan, by wearing orange shirts to support the Oslage family. Coach Oslage brought his family to watch the runners, and the team even included Kaegan in their pre-race huddle and cheer.

“They brought Kaegan into the huddle with them and let him lead the chant. That was really cool because it didn’t come from the coaches, it didn’t come from the parents, it was them taking that upon themselves and I think that shows you what a great group of kids we have to show that they care for and support someone like that. It was one of the coolest things to see out of this year,” Bailey said.

Such a successful, fun and emotional season for the boy’s cross country team would not have been possible without their four seniors: Anghel, Castino, Besson and Ressler. Their leadership will be missed and their shoes will be difficult to fill, but with the lasting impact they had on their younger teammates, the boys cross country team has little to worry about in the future.