We all know how it feels to come in second, it’s bittersweet at best. Welcome to Edina Boys’ Cross Country. If Wayzata had been out of the equation this season, the Edina’s Boys’ Varsity Cross Country team would have won every meet in which they were entered. Instead, Edina had three wins and three second place finishes, facing Wayzata three times and losing each time.

At the Lake Conference Championships, Section 6AA Championships, and the MSHSL State Cross Country Meet, Wayzata edged out Edina by fifteen, twenty, and thirteen points, respectively. Things seemed dire for Edina entering the postseason.

Heading to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for Nike Cross Regionals (NXR), the boys felt well-prepared, and seemed to be peaking nicely for the meet. Despite NXR being comprised of teams from seven “Heartland” states, Wayzata and Edina were still the favorites.

Not being in Sioux Falls myself, I was watching the live results come in on my computer for splits at the one and two mile marks. After one mile, Edina was hanging in twelfth place. At the two mile, Edina had jumped up to third place, gaining 155 individual places, and was sitting only twenty points back on Wayzata.

Now, having followed Varsity races throughout the season, I knew twenty points was quite a margin to make up, but doable. As the final results came in, it became clear that Edina had won. With a huge personal record by 13.3 seconds from senior Henry Jessen and great finishes from all the others, Edina finally dethroned Wayzata, winning by a margin of twenty-nine points.

With the number-one finish at NXR, the team is heading on to Nike Cross Nationals (NXN), taking place in Portland, Oregon on Dec. 7. At NXN, Edina will take on some of the best teams the nation has seen in a while. Edina may have some big things to prove out there in the Pacific Northwest, but adversity seems to be no problem for these guys.

So, if you happen to see any skinny kids in the hallway wearing bright yellow jackets that read “Edina Cross Country,” be sure to congratulate them on their win at NXR and wish them good luck on the national stage. If you want to follow the team on race day, go to http://www.runnerspace.com/nxn.