The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hansel emerges as Cougars’ new No. 1 runner
A clear No. 1 runner has been a fixture of Lake Catholic’s boys cross country team in recent seasons.
Jacob Keating, now running at the University of Michigan, held that role two years ago. He passed the mantle to current John Carroll freshman runner Matt Kirchner, who led the Cougars’ boys team to a 14th-place team finish at the 2017 Division II state meet.
Alex Hansel, Lake Catholic’s No. 2 runner last season, now runs at the front of the Cougars’ pack. The senior won his first cross country race Sept. 15 at the VASJ McDonough Invitational and aims to guide Lake Catholic back to the state meet in Hebron.
“It’s a challenge, but it’s also a blessing,” Hansel said. “I mean, just being able to go out and compete and run the times, putting in the work, it’s exhilarating.”
Hansel spent most of his junior season as a relative unknown before a breakout postseason.
He broke 17 for the first time at the D-II Madison District meet and Hansel’s first-ever third-place finish vaulted the Cougars to district runners-up. A week later at Boardman, he placed 45th in 17:14 to help Lake Catholic move on to National Trail Raceway. There, Hansel was 74th in 17:04.
Hansel’s leadership resembles Keating’s quieter style, compared to Kirchner’s more extroverted style.
“Sometimes there’s a pressure on your shoulders when you’re asked to step up,” Hansel said. “My mindset week in, week out is just go out and compete, run the best race I can, be the best No. 1 I can be.”
Running out front for Lake Catholic has made Hansel a better runner.
Next to his first individual victory, Hansel’s continued to break the 17-minute threshold. His season-best time of 16:47.8 is a half-second behind his personal best, set at last year’s district meet.
“I feel like I’m running a lot better than I was last year at this time,” Hansel said. “I just feel like there’s more to be accomplished later in this season. Ultimate goal is just to get back to the state meet. That’s all it’s about right now, for me.”
Hansel figures to have company if he returns to Hebron. The Cougars brought back three more runners from last year’s state team — sophomores Gabe DeMitro and Neil Jones and senior Brenden Latkovich. The possibility remains for junior Christian DeMitro, a football player who ran cross during Lake Catholic’s postseason run, to again bolster the team’s playoff fortunes.
“I feel like the potential is to get back to state,” Hansel said. “I feel like this team has a chance to place higher than we did last year. Last year we were 14th. I think we can make a run at a district championship this year.”