The Midd-West Harrier has certified twice within the XC
MIDDLEBURG – After a embellished highschool profession in cross nation, it's laborious to think about Midd-West Excessive College standout Ben Hummel competing in some other sport.
The reality is, the Mustang senior had to decide on between soccer and cross nation when he hit the highschool ranks.
Till a buddy launched him within the eighth grade, Hummel had performed soccer completely – as a defender. The concept of competing in a extra individualized sport like cross nation intrigued Hummel, so he tried a change of surroundings and joined the junior excessive cross nation staff.
One season of operating was sufficient to catch him.
It additionally created a dilemma when Hummel grew to become a freshman in highschool the next 12 months. Since each have been fall sports activities, he had to decide on to take part in both cross nation or soccer.
In the long run, he opted to hold up his soccer boots and go cross-country. 4 years later, it seems like Hummel made the proper choice. As a senior, he got here residence from the latest PIAA Class 2A Cross Nation Championships with a fifth-place medal.
Trying again, Hummel mentioned the individualized nature of cross nation was the deciding issue for him.
“After I performed soccer, I performed protection” Ben defined. “If we didn't rating, we didn't win. There was nothing we may do about it, enjoying protection.
“Ever since I began operating, I felt like I used to be competing towards myself.” Ben added. “I needed to reply to myself about how I did it. I believe that's additionally what pushed me to the place I’m at the moment.”
Final 12 months's journey to the states additionally proved to be a studying expertise for him. Simply competing in that race wasn't sufficient, he longed for a medal.
“I all the time knew he may do effectively at States — that he may medal,” Mid-West head coach Jennifer Hummel mentioned. “Something can occur, however realistically I believed he may very well be there within the struggle. For him to do in addition to he did, I didn't know if he may consider in himself.”
But when that occurred, the coach and runner noticed the sky because the restrict.
“So long as he didn't get harm, I knew he may make faculty historical past.” Jennifer added.
Now, regardless that it's been greater than every week since he introduced a medal residence to Snyder County, the truth hasn't absolutely set in.
“Little”, Ben mentioned. “I nonetheless benefit from the considered it.
Ben, who will proceed his operating profession at Shippensburg College, moved to the sector after ending 12th within the center.
“I had a deliberate thought of the place I used to be ranked, simply to run” he added. “I felt good all through the race and handed individuals. I obtained to the end line, the place I believed I might be.”
Ben actually obtained loads of publicity from the race with bulletins and indicators in school and congratulations from fellow college students, lecturers, workers and directors in addition to on social media.
“Ben has loads of self-motivation” Jennifer mentioned. “He's all the time working to see how he can enhance and see what he can do to enhance subsequent time.”
This wasn't Hummel's first medal on a giant stage both. On the PIAA Monitor and Discipline Championships final spring, Ben was a part of the boys four×800 relay staff that captured gold at Seth Grove Stadium in Shippensburg.
The Mustang quad ran 7:54.27 to win the Class 2A race by greater than 5 seconds over Notre Dame-Inexperienced Pond. Midd-West and Notre Dame-Inexperienced Ford have been neck and neck after the primary leg, however issues modified when Ben took over.
His break up of 1:54.93 was about 10 seconds sooner than the Crusaders. From there, Midd-West got here out on prime within the closing two phases.
The Mustangs' first-place end improved on the quartet's eighth-place medal final season. There, Midd-West ran eight:07.42.
“Eighth by no means feels good,” Ben advised reporters that day at State. “This 12 months, we knew we have been all going to return again and we saved combating. I knew this 12 months was going to be gold proper right here. We saved saying to ourselves: “We don't wish to find yourself like final 12 months.” So we saved combating and obtained a greater outcome.”
The identical was true in cross nation. Simply making the state discipline wasn't sufficient for Ben. He needed to put on a state medal round his neck.
For now, Ben continues to be basking in his cross nation accomplishments.
He actually gained't be taking the winter months off as he competes on the winter monitor.
“His willpower and need additionally helped,” Jennifer mentioned. “He set targets to get again to states and medal, I believe he exceeded these targets.”
Alongside the way in which, Ben additionally ran a faculty document time of 15:59 on the District four Class 2A Championships. Not solely did she hit her sub-16 minute aim, she punched her ticket to Chocolatetown to run the Parkview Course.
“I'm happy with him” mentioned Jennifer, who can be Ben's aunt. “He's labored laborious and had a enjoyable profession to look at.”
Together with his cross nation days behind him, Ben mirrored again on the choice he made as a freshman.
“I'm very happy with what I've achieved and I've labored laborious.” he mentioned. “It was rewarding and the perfect choice I may have made” he mentioned. “Cross nation has taken me to locations I by no means dreamed of.”