The 1991 St. Xavier Cross Country team was perhaps the most talented and well-rounded team in St. X history. The core of the team was James Devanney '93, Quen Metzler '92, Steve Schrantz '92, Chris Bollman '95, and Mike Abiog '93. For much of the year, the team dominated its GCL rivals and sometimes beat other top Cincinnati teams by 100 points or more. But then it happened. During a practice run at Rapid Run Park, James Devanney was injured badly in a freak accident that left him sidelined for three weeks. The team was devastated, yet we did not give up. Using the injury as motivation, the team rallied behind the senior leadership of Metzler and Schrantz. The GCL meet would have to be run without Devanney because of his injury. However, the team tried not to let that disappointment detract from the focus of the year – a sweep of the GCL meet. The freshmen easily demolished Elder and LaSalle, as they had done all year long. Then, the junior varsity brought victory once more with strong finishes in the final half-mile. Smiles were everywhere, but anxiety remained. It was now the varsity team's turn. The whole team strategically placed themselves throughout the hilly course to cheer and inspire the varsity runners. At every turn there were runners clad in blue and white being urged onward by the shouted encouragement of other St. X team members. in less than twenty minutes, the hard work of hundreds of hours and thousands of miles finally paid off. The Bombers had pulled off what seemed to be impossible. Runners with brooms appeared from behind trees, and the entire team took a victory lap waving the brooms and singing cheers. This may have been the greatest moment in the history of St. Xavier Cross country. I have never seen so many people, so many friends laughing and smiling. The celebration was capped off by throwing Guy Clanton '93, who doubted the team's ability to sweep, into the chilly waters of Rapid Ran Park's pond. With such a great victory behind them, the varsity looked forward to the state meet. However, the team was beset by more injuries to key runners: by the end of the year, the number two, three, and six runners were injured. But, with the return of Devanney for the Regional and State meets, the team still managed a respectable twelfth place finish at State. Hopefully next year's team will rise to the challenge of a much stronger field of opponents and defend their GCL title.