Wilde Lake?s Derek Lange is not concerned with competition. Bring it on, he says. He doesn?t worry about the course he?s running, whether it?s the grueling hills of the Hereford Invitational or the tree-lined course at Centennial High School.
Lange said he?s solely focused on what matters most: His time and his team?s quest to become the first squad to win three consecutive 3A titles.
But it won?t be easy for Lange, a senior who placed second at last year?s state meet in 17:01.43. As one of three captains, he?s expected to lead a team that includes seniors Jonathan Sham and John Henderson. But he also entered the season recovering from a torn ligament in his left knee, which he suffered in May. He?s missed
several weeks of offseason training to vacation with family this summer.
“I?m not very close and I have a lot of hard work to do and things to come back from,” Lange said. “Now, it?s all about practicing and putting in the work.”
However, Lange acknowledges he still has occasional stiffness in his left knee, which has slowed his progress.
“He?s about a month away and if we can get him back healthy he will be a big factor for us,” Wilde Lake Coach Whitty Bass said. “We are taking great care with him so he doesn?t do too much too soon and he?ll be there when we need him. He?s a good kid and he knows how this works.”
Lange is looking to rebound from his injury and continue his cross country career at a Division III school, such as Haverford, Johns Hopkins, Franklin & Marshall, Kenyon, Denison or Wooster. Though Lange?s times rival those of runners who are being recruited by Division II or Division I schools, he wants to enjoy the college life.
“I think most of the college experience is learning and having fun with friends,” said Lange, who has a 3.7 grade-point average. “And I think Division I would take away a lot from that.”
The last two seasons Wilde Lake has swept both the county, Maryland 3A East Region and state titles. Last year, the Wildecats also won the Bull Run Invitational at Hereford and the Meade and Howard County Invitationals as a prelude to their postseason titles.
But at this season?s Howard County Invitational, Wilde Lake came in fifth, largely because Lange placed 33nd in 18:58.08. River Hill won the event with 66 points, followed by Centennial (104), Mount Hebron (115) and Walter Johnson (117).
Sham led the team, which scored 118 points, by finishing eighth in 18:01.64 and Henderson took 16th in 18:27.04.
Bass was concerned with hs team?s performance. River Hill,
Centennial and Mount Hebron are all fellow Howard County schools.
“They have been sort of going through a transition of not having leadership and looking at each like ?who?s going to do this,?” Bass said. “It?s the first time they have been in the role, and I have confidence they will grow into it.”
