PRINCESS ANNE, MD (Oct.27) - Coach
Wayne Angel came into this season with a chip on his shoulder. Runner-up last season, being so close to winning the MEAC Cross Country championship, left an empty feeling. It was a feeling he and his returning runners never wanted to feel again. They vowed to prepare to close the deal this year, resulting in a dominating performance and the 2012 MEAC cross country championship.
The Rattlers unseated Norfolk State as the champions, placing all five of the team's top finishers on the All-MEAC squad. A mix of veterans and newcomers proved to be the right mix for FAMU to perform as solid as they have all season.
"It was a bitter pill to swallow last year, but we knew what we had to do and we went out recruited and we put in the miles. We were on a mission and they accomplished it. Angel said.
Angel, a veteran coach, has seen his share of success in nurturing world-class athletes. The winner of a conference track and field championship while at Wichita State, Angel has also coach Olympians while at Wichita St. and Illinois. He has coached over 60 conference champions, 30 Big-10 Conference champions, three Olympians and 18 NCAA DI All-Americans. In just two years as head coach, he has rebuilt the FAMU cross country team to championship status.
Leading the Rattlers was sophomore Elias Chesire. Chesire, the 2012 MEAC Cross Country Outstanding Athlete, blazed to a first place finish in 24:54.96. Following closely in second place was FAMU senior Shuaib Winters. Winters navigated the course in 24:56.89, running side-by-side with Chesire for 7.5K of the 8K race. Winters, the 2010 MEAC Cross Country Most Outstanding Athlete, has mentored along his heir apparent Chesire over the last year. The bond between the two runners is more like a brotherhood than that of teammates.
Angel was well aware that Winters and Chesire could not win the championship by themselves. Angel aggressively recruited some help for the team. Freshmen Kevin Marindich and Antony Kimaiyo joined the team in August and brought a wealth of talent to the table. Marindich finished fifth overall, running the 8K course in 25:35.26, while Kimaiyo finished sixth in 25:49.77.
From there, the championship hang in the balance. At the 5K mark, defending champion Norfolk State had packed in five runners between the Rattlers and had a lead on FAMU. NSU's Desmond Fogg was leading FAMU sophomore Diemy Duclos by bout 10 yards. The tension at the meet grew, as Angel didn't want to take any chances with counting number placement. His goal was to get five runners across the finish before Norfolk could. With the heart of a champion, Duclos closed the gap and passed Fogg, leading him by over 20 seconds at the finish of the 8K race. He was the place that sealed the title for the Rattlers. Seniors Lamere Buchanon (26:37.58) placed 16th overall, while Isaiah Coleman finished in 29:09.86, rounding out the Rattler squad.
With their top 15 placements, Chesire, Winters, Kimaiyo, Marindich and Duclos all earned All-MEAC honors. Angel earned the MEAC Cross Country Most Outstanding Coach award.
Chesire, who has been highly successful all season, was all smiles at the reality of the moment. "This is the best thing yet, this time around. I have been waiting this time to come. I'm very proud of it. Today, it was good doing it as a team. I wasn't looking at winning myself, I just wanted to come and win it with the whole team," Chesire said.
The veteran Winters was finally satisfied with the team effort. Over his career at FAMU, winters has won several All-MEAC awards, finished first in several races, but was longing for a team championship. In the last conference cross country championship of his career, the Rattlers came through. The excitement prompted Winters to blast the song "We are the Champions," from his cell phone. "It means the world to me right now. This is what I've been working for since I came to FAMU. To get the team championship is a dream come true," Winters said.
As the leader of the team, along with Buchanon, Winters said the discipline and talent of the team is what made the difference. "They did everything I asked. They've been working hard all season and all year, so of course you know hard work pays off. You get out what you put in and I'm proud of them," Winters concluded.
Angel solidified his experience in building a championship team from the ground with this win. "My hats off to the (Rattlers) and my hats off to Norfolk, but it was a battle out there and I think in the end we were dominant. In a word, I feel blessed. Chesire and Winters are a dynamic duo and they are the leaders of the team and we just feel honored and blessed to coach them and this team," Angel concluded.
