Sports Editor Matthew Yannie recently talked to senior cross-country co-captians and twins Rik and Terry Workman about the Ric Sayre Invitational.
Terry and Rik, often first and second place finishers for the Scots,† discussed their expectations for themselves, each other and the rest of the team.
MY: At last Tuesdayís meet here at the College, you guys ran very impressive and very similar times. How frequently are you two separated by only a few seconds?
TW: We started running together our freshman year of high school and ever since weíve always been back to back, one and two just about the entire time, both in cross country and track.
RW: We are often separated by 10 to 30 seconds but we are getting a bit closer together again this year.
MY: How beneficial is it for you two to have each other out there to push yourselves? Is winning a big deal between the two of you?
TW: Of course there will always be a sibling rivalry, but we really try and use each other as a benefit to ourselves.† We train together every day and we have for the past eight years. It is something unique because the two of us really know how to race with one another.
RW: It has a good effect on competition too, when you have two people running very equal times, and passing at the same time.
TW: It really breaks the competition down.
MY: In your time at Wooster you both have been really competitive in the conference. What are your goals looking forward for this season to conference races and possibly regional meets?
TW: I feel like personally we are both going for conference titles and then definitely trying to qualify for nationals. Itís our senior year, so there is no reason not to shoot for that.
RW: It is going to be a great year for us, and we have a lot of depth on the team with a lot of people who are willing to step up and perform well. I think we can win conference.
TW: As captains we have to lead by example, so if we arenít challenging the top guys in the conference and pushing for nationals then why would the team?
MY: This team has both experience, with 10 seniors and a bunch of returning runners, and youth, with seven first-year runners.† How does the experience benefit the team and what sort of contribution can be expected of the first years?
RW: As far as experience goes, we have 10 guys who have raced before and know what it takes to compete in a five-mile race.† We have a couple guys who have really stepped up their training in the past year, Charles Horenstein and Sean Bouyack specifically, and are now competing for spots in the top seven.† The seven first-years will be the ones to take the throne in a few years so it is important that they stay in the mix.
TW: Right now it is looking like we will have at least one first-year in the top seven. Kevin DeGroot, who is possibly a top five scorer, has looked really solid so far.
MY: With the first scoring meet of the season coming up tomorrow, what are your expectations for yourselves, each other and the rest of the team?
RW: We actually won this meet last year so we are looking for a back-to-back title, which would be nice.
TW: There are a few more teams coming in so it should be a little more competitive but with our team depth this year we are definitely looking for a repeat performance. It should be an exciting race. Individually we are looking for one and two. I wonít accept anything else.
MY: Answer at the same time; who is faster?
TW/RW: (Exactly in unison, pointing at one another) He is.