After falling to WJ last year in the state championship, CHS can go into the home stretch of their season with a little more swagger.

The boy’s team defeated the defending state champions by the slim margin of 30-27, Oct 12, taking over the top spot in the division. Despite the outstanding victory, the boy’s team is maintaining a cool disposition.

“It’s good, but it’s just one race,” head coach Steve Bettis said. “It’s nice to have the upper hand, but we have four more weeks [left in the season].”

The boys success against perennial power WJ follows their success at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, NC, where junior Zachary Weinstein set the CHS record for the 5K run, with an unheard-of time of 15:41.

According to Weinstein, who placed second overall in the WJ meet, the course as well as the competition aided him in his exceptional time.

“[The NC experience] was awesome, everyone had a [personal record], and we were in a race with 10 of the top teams in the nation,” said Bettis. “It was a real good opportunity. [And Weinstein] has the record. Fastest time I’ve seen someone run in my five years at Churchill.”

On the other side of the spectrum, the girl’s team, despite falling to the WJ girl’s team, is young and has a lot to look forward to for years to come.

“[We’re] getting better, we had four freshman in [our] top seven,” assistant coach Paul Jacobson said. “It will be great for years after.”

At the head of the strong class of 2014 is freshman Paula Rabade, who finished second overall among the CHS girl’s team, behind junior Charlotte Bourg.

“It’s going well, it’s fun and I’m happy I joined [the team],” Rabade said.

The results of the meet left the ildcats quite impressed with the Bulldog runners.

“I think we’re going to compete against them a lot over the next four weeks,” WJ coach Ashley St. Denis said.

The team’s next meet is the 4A west region championships Nov 4.