Leaders On and Off the Field, Harriers Now Prep for SWC

The Shoremen Cross Country team is quietly building a strong tradition. Currently ranked 9th in the Division I state poll, the team has beaten two of the teams ranked ahead of them.  

The Shoremen have won the Lorain County Division I title the past five years based on their finish at the district meet at LCCC. 

The team, which won the Southwestern Conference Championship in 2009 and 2010, are are looking to three-peat this coming Saturday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. (The Shoregals run at 10:40 a.m. Middle school runners compete at 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. )

In both preceding years, the Shoremen also had the SWC MVPs: Matt Link earned the honor in 2009 and Michael Parsons in 2010. The Junior Varsity Shoremen and the Open Shoremen also won their respective SWC Championships in both years.

The program’s success extends down to.  The Learwood runners have consistently placed either 1st or 2nd in the SWC over the past 5 years.  They have had a number of individual champions. 

The Varsity Shoremen team has a record of 77-7 for the current 2011 season.  While only seven compete on the varsity team, the program's success is based on the commitment and intensity of all 35 runners on the high school team.  

Although the Shoremen begin intense training in August, the team participates in community events to help foster team spirit including a running camp, a 12-hour relay, a scavenger race, a Mohican camping trip and a “Challenge” run. 

Over the past several seasons, the Shoremen have made significant contributions to and this year, Connor Musial gave back to the cross country program by building a half-mile running and walking loop in the woods next to Avon Lake High School as his Eagle Scout Project.

Individually, the Shoremen have four returning Academic All Ohio award winners: Seniors Trevor Norris, Connor Musial and Francesco Maiorca and junior Tom Parsons.