The crunch of gravel, the chill of fall air, and the pounding of determined footsteps.

That’s what carried the Normal West Cross Country team to State.

This past weekend (November 1), the entire girls’ team,  as well as standout runner Donovan Wright from the boys’ team, secured their spots in Peoria for the IHSA State cross country meet. 

For the runners of Normal West, success isn’t just measured in miles or medals; it’s in the effort, perseverance, and teamwork that made their season so outstanding. 

This Saturday (November 8), Head Coach Greg Rogers and Assistant Coach Brenda Shawgo will lead the Normal West Cross Country team as they compete for state at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

The girls’ race begins at 11 am, followed by the boys’ race at 12 pm. 

Rogers, who serves as both the Head Cross Country Coach and Head Girls’ Track and Field Coach of Normal West, is in his first season leading the program and his second season overall with the team.

He is also a PE teacher at Normal West.

Reflecting on the journey, Rogers shared: “Our girls’ team has had a strong season and has really started to click in the postseason.  I think they gained a lot of confidence after winning our regional meet, and they carried that success through the finish line of our sectional meet to qualify as a team to state.”

He praised his top runners for setting the tone.

“Our top three girls, Renee Warren, Julie Bach, and Amanda Warren, are veteran runners that have had previous success at the state level for the past three seasons.  They did a great job of leading the rest of our varsity team of younger runners,” Rogers explained.

“For our girls’ team, they should have a lot of confidence and hunger to compete at the state meet to see how high we can climb in the team standings.”

Rogers also highlighted the achievements of Donovan Wright, who qualified as an individual for the boys’ team.

“Donovan has had a tremendous second half of his cross country season. As Donovan kept running new personal best times throughout the season, the coaching staff knew it was going to be a possibility for him to run well enough to qualify for the state meet.  At our regional and sectional meets, he had two breakthrough races and made it out to state by finishing as one of the top 10 individuals not on a qualifying team.”

Coach Shawgo, Rogers’ assistant coach and a safety monitor at West, joined the team last year after being Parkside’s coach for the past four years.

She also serves as the assistant coach for the girls’ track team at West.

Shawgo expressed her excitement, saying, “I am very excited about our girls’ team and Donovan…, who qualified for State. I think it is going to be a great experience for them and would like to see them run their personal best times for the year.”

Every single runner has put in tremendous effort all season, and their hard work and dedication are finally paying off.

According to Rogers, that commitment began long before the first race.

“The biggest factor that has led to these athletes’ success is the hard work they put in during the offseason and early part of our season to build their aerobic base, he said.

“They also gained a lot of mental toughness through this process, which has led to their resiliency while competing in races.”

Among those standout athletes is senior Julie Bach, who credits her teammates as her biggest supporters this season.

“Transitioning from track to a three-mile race is no joke. I’ve had to dial back into a more endurance-focused race, which has been a challenge. Also, just having times when it was easy to get caught up in results, but trying to re-learn that running is so much more than just a time at the finish line. These girls make it easy to remember that,” Bach stated.

Senior Amanda Warren has also been a consistent leader and top performer throughout the season.

Her determination helped her earn a medal for placing in the top 10 at sectionals, along with Julie and Renee.

She is looking forward to making this run count.

“The biggest challenge for me has been keeping myself and my teammates healthy,” Amanda explained. “It is difficult to balance high mileage and what our bodies can handle.”

Her goal for State this year is to beat the personal record she set at the State meet the previous year.

“There’s going to be a lot of fast girls, so I’d love to place top 25, but that’s definitely a stretch goal. Most of my success this season is due to my hard work over the summer; it’s nice to see that it finally paid off,” Amanda added. 

Another senior, Renee Warren, (a twin sister to Amanda), is also ready to make her final high school race count.

“[I] am just super pumped that I get to run one last race with the team,” Renee said.

The biggest challenge for her this season, she admits, has been accepting the fact that this would be her last year on the team.

Coach Shawgo shares high expectations but also has high hopes for Renee at State.

“Claiming All-State would be ideal for Renee…- something that has definitely been a goal all season!” Shawgo noted.

Renee aims for a Top 5 to Top 10 finish individually, while hoping the team can crack the Top 10, overall.  

Rogers acknowledged that the season hasn’t been without its challenges.

“These athletes have overcome a difficult fall in terms of the weather conditions, as they did not get to compete in normal temperatures at most of our meets this fall, he said.

“They have shown a lot of resiliency and patience through this, and they will finally be able to compete in some nice weather this weekend!”

As for the team’s goals at State, Rogers and Shawgo are aligned.

“Our goal for our girls program is to finish as a top 10 team, Rogers explained.

“Our goal for Donovan is to run a new personal best time with the ideal weather conditions tomorrow.”

Julie Bach, Amanda Warren, and Renee Warren, all senior runners, have been with the team all four years of their high school careers.

They attribute their success and hard work to their teammates and the support of their coaches.

These Wildcats have had to overcome difficult obstacles, from challenging courses and strong competition to unpredictable weather, but their persistence and team spirit have carried them to State.

“Any one of these athletes definitely has their moment to shine! No matter the outcome, I am very proud of all of them for all their hard work over the years,” Shawgo expressed. 

As they lace up for their biggest race of the season, the Wildcats have already proven that dedication, grit, and heart can take them all the way to State. 

No matter the results, the Wildcats have already left their mark.

Through every finish line crossed, they’ve proven that success isn’t just about winning; it’s about passion, perseverance, and pride in wearing “Normal West” across their jerseys.