Junior Charlie Wetzel, along with the rest of his team, went to Peoria to compete at the final IHSA cross country meet of the year. Wetzel was the only competitor from West’s team, and he broke a school record and placed 7th overall.

He broke the school’s best 3 mile record with a time 14 minutes and 30 seconds, beating the previous time of 14 minutes and 49 seconds.

Wetzel said that a key to his success was the preparation his coaches put him through. “They got me ready for all our big meets and got me into the mindset that I could run with the best at state,” said Wetzel.

When it comes to the team, they were very supportive.  Austin Feaman (10) said, “Since he was the only competitor from West, we all painted our chests and made signs and stuff like that.”

“I never thought that I would be going top ten at state. Getting 7th was big for me, and it makes me really happy to know that all my hard work paid off,” said Wetzel.

“The records I broke were made by some of the best runners to go through West and to break what they set is a honor for me. When I started running, I never thought I’d be able to get a record, but since I did break one it’s cool for me knowing that I’ll have my mark on this school long after I leave” said Wetzel.

Congratulations to Wetzel for his success at state and breaking the school’s cross country record.