Cross Country: ‘It’s insane to think about’ Oswego, at state for first time since 1994, has sights set on trophy

The seed was planted exactly one year ago, this week.

As Oswego’s boys cross country team walked away from a disappointing eighth-place finish at sectionals on Halloween last year, a 2020 state series with no official state meet, the Panthers already started looking ahead. Only one senior was graduating, so opportunity was there.

“We knew if we wanted to do it, we had to do it now,” Oswego senior Ethan Forsell said. “We knew exactly what we had to do, and we made sure we did it. We gave everything that we had.”

All that work has added up to a history-making season.

Oswego, on the heels of conference and regional championships, last weekend placed fourth at a loaded Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional with seven of the state’s top nine teams. In doing so, the Panthers punched a ticket to state as a team for the first time since 1994.

Oswego is one of two local teams to end a long state drought. Sandwich’s team is headed to state for the first time in 17 years.

“It is insane to think about,” said Oswego senior Benjamin Huey, who was eighth individually at sectionals. “It makes me so happy and it’s nice to be with this group of people. So many times Oswego has had maybe one or two guys go to state. This culture that we have, it makes it special for everybody all around. We all see the drive. It started from three years ago and we working toward something special and it’s exciting to see it play out.”

Indeed, Oswego coach Dan Whipple said that for the coaching staff this has been a three-year process. He recognized the potential in this senior class led by Ethan and Ben Forsell, Huey and Balin Doud if all went well.

Oswego in 2020, with a roster of mostly juniors and sophomores, got second at conference, two points behind Yorkville, went 4-1 in duals and competed well at the SPC Top 40 meet.

The team faltered some late, but has come back better than ever this fall.

Oswego won invitational titles at Yorkville, Wisconsin-Parkside, Joliet and Schaumburg, and took third at the Richard Spring Invitational in Peoria ahead of the postseason.

“To their credit, they have lived up to the process every step of the way, fell in line and supported each other,” Whipple said. “This year was an enjoyable culmination of their effort and energy. I don’t know if we met or exceeded expectations. It has been one enjoyable week after the other. We took things one week at a time, kept our focus small, tried not to think ahead. Each week was one separate adventure.”

Oswego finished just two points behind Hinsdale Central at sectionals, although Whipple said it might not have been the team’s best meet. The team had a 45-second split, off the split of near 30 seconds Oswego has had most of the season.

“I think they were feeling a little bit of the pressure of the 27-year gap,” Whipple said. “We had a little more pressure to get to state than other teams maybe did. They had to carry that burden. Nonetheless, they executed the game plan the way we wanted, and how we wanted to race the course.”

Oswego this weekend will be making its 10th state meet appearance. And while it is the team’s first appearance in three decades, the Panthers hardly sound satisfied to just be here.

Oswego was ranked No. 3 in Class 3A in https://ilxctf.runnerspace.com’s final rankings, behind only Sandburg and Hinsdale Central. The program’s first state trophy is in play Saturday morning at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

“They don’t have to do anything super special,” Whipple said. “They have to be themselves, and race as a team as they have been doing all season long. That’s all they have to do is be themselves and be the runners that they are.”

Forsell, a state track qualifier in the 3,200 this past spring, is clear what kind of effort he said will be required – and is ready to give it.

“I haven’t finished any race and been ready to fall flat on my face and just give up when I cross the finish line,” Forsell said. “I think it will take that amount of heart we have to get it out of everybody, one through seven. I think if we do that there is no question we will walk home with some state medals.”