PHILADELPHIA -- The Union Catholic track and field program has collected several national championships, smashed national records, captured countless state and Meet of Champions titles, and has pretty much won every possible major title they have targeted.
But the one thing that has always eluded one of the greatest programs in NJ history, has been a coveted Penn Relays wheel, a huge oval plaque that is awarded to each Championship of America winning relay team.
The Vikings, so close to winning wheels in the past, took its latest crack at that elusive prize on Friday, and this time UC finally broke through as sophomore Jimmy Wischusen, senior Nick Givan, senior Myles Plummer, and senior Shane Brosnan got that wheel when they combined to win the Distance Medley Championship of America race at the 126th running of the meet at Franklin Field.
Union Catholic won the race in 10:14.42 as Brosnan held off a furious charge by Devan Kipyego, who brought St. Raphael (RI) across second in 10:15.21. Kipyego, who got the baton in eighth place, split 4:04.35!
"This is really the only thing we hadn't won,'' said Plummer. "And we've been talking about this for so long, so to finally get this wheel is something we'll never forget.''
A huge key to Union Catholic's victory was the return of Wischusen, who was running his first race since the Union County Indoor Relays on January 8. Wischusen, who was out with a hip impingement, didn't run for more than two months and just started training a few weeks ago.
"I didn't even know for sure that I'd be racing until earlier this week,'' said Wischusen, who ran a workout that included a 2:51 1,100 last Saturday that showed he was ready to be inserted into the lineup. "It was really tough for me to not be able to run for so long, so to be able to comeback and help us win this is just such an amazing feeling.''
Wischusen, who set the Holmdel Park sophomore course record last fall, got things rolling for UC with a strong opening carry of 3:11.44 as he moved up to second-place with a powerful push over the final 150 meters. Givan then blasted a a race-changing 49.77 400 leg to open a gap on the field. Plummer followed with a 1:58.05 to keep the Vikings in front, and he handed off to Brosnan with a two-second lead. Brosnan went out aggressively, dropping a 61.2 first 400 as he opened a 40 meter lead on the chase back.
The Harvard-bound Brosnan paid the price over the final 300 for his ambitious early pace as Kipyego started his monster kick, getting about five meters behind Brosnan as they battled down the homestretch. Brosnan, with Kipyego closng, was able to respond just enough over the final 25 meters to secure the victory.
"I knew he was coming, and I was able to shift gears just enough to stay ahead of him,'' said Brosnan, who split 4:15.21. "I've haven't raced in a while because of my calf, and there was a time that I wasn't sure I'd be able to run here. So I'm just glad I was able to do enough to make sure we won.''
Brosnan said that while he was expecting UC, who ran a US No. 3 all-time 9:55.12 when they placed second to Ridge (NJ) at the New Balance Indoor National Championships last month, to run faster, the focus was the wheel and not time.
"The bottom line is that while we didn't run as fast as we wanted, we did we had to do to get this wheel, and it feels so good.''
Brosnan also said he and his teammates were further motivated to win after UC's girls suffered some misfortune earlier in the day when one of their runners fell in the 4x800 C of A and they wound up placing third in 9:06.14.
"After that happened we saw how disappointed the girls were and we were even more determined to come back and make sure we got this win,'' said Brosnan.
Givan's 400 leg turned out to be a huge turning point.
"I knew it was important for me to open up as big of a lead as I could,'' said Givan. "So I just gave it all I had to do what I could for our team. We've been working toward this for a few years, so to get this win means everything to us.''
UC coach Mike McCabe, who said he's not so sure his team could have won without Wischusen, was emotional when he talked about finally hoisting up the prestigious wheel.
"This one really means a lot and its emotional for me a lot because I really wanted this for our guys,'' said McCabe. "We had never won a cross-country Meet of Champions title, and we finally got that last fall, and now to get this after we have been so close with a second (2019 girls 4x800) and two thirds with Sydney McLaughlin on our 4x400. So this is just such a great feeling. To have Jimmy come back, and to have Shane, whose been dealing with a calf, go out there with Nick and Myles and get the job done is something that makes me so proud of those guys. When he (Kipyego) was coming fast up on Shane, I was wondering if maybe we were cursed. But it was finally our year.''
The DMR victory capped off an amazing day for Union Catholic, which also placed ninth in the girls 4x100 Championship in 47.56.
"To run in three Championship of America races in one day here is something we've never done before,'' said McCabe. "It really shows the depth and strength of our program, and how hard this team works. I couldn't be happier with how everyone raced. It was an amazing day.''
