BROX TALE: Wilberforce School boys’ cross country star Caleb Brox heads to the finish line at the Mercer County Championships last Thursday at Thompson Park in Jamesburg. Senior Brox placed first individually in the boys’ meet, covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 16:44.10. Brox became the first Wilberforce runner to win an individual title at the county meet and helped the Wolverine boys take sixth in the team standings. (Photo provided by Lois Szeliga)

By Bill Alden

Coming into this fall, Caleb Brox was fit and fast as he headed into his senior season for the Wilberforce School boys’ cross country team.

“I was probably running 45 miles a week most weeks, trying to get a tempo run in on Monday,” said Brox. “That was the staple. When preseason started, I was running faster time trials than I had the year before.”

But Brox hit a roadblock as he took ill early in the school year.

“I got sick starting in September and then into mid-October, I was still coughing,” said Brox. “I decided to not race at all and really try to recover. Last season I had also gotten sick early.”

Getting back in action with a dual meet in early October, Brox felt confident, if not at full speed, as he prepped for the Mercer County Championships last Thursday at Thompson Park in Jamesburg.

“I felt pretty OK as far as my health, I am not sure I am in 15:50 shape which is where I was at last year,” said Brox. “My plan was to let the other guys take it out for the first two miles. I have observed over the years that the race is won at the top of the hill and in the last 800.”

Sticking to that plan, Brox pulled away to a first place finish at the county meet, covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 16:44.10.

“The hill is not a place to coast — that is where I made the push and separated,” said Brox, who finished seven seconds ahead of runner up Jack Kane from Hightstown. “The hill is a third of a mile and the top of the hill is 800 from the finish. I was feeling pretty comfortable.”

While Brox got some separation down the stretch, he was still wary as he headed to the finish.

“It was definitely a good feeling going around the baseball fields,” said Brox. “I wasn’t sure it was in the bag until it was over. As I went around the turn to that finish, I got a slight glimpse of where things were at. I knew that if I ran a hard 200, no one was just going to outkick me out front.”

In winning the race, Brox made history as he became the first Wilberforce runner to win an individual title at the county meet.

“It was one of my season goals so I am super thrilled about that, especially coming off a couple of weeks of being sick,” said Brox, who is looking to compete at the college level and has free levied offers from Hillsdale College and Davidson College. “As the postseason is in sight, I feel like I am in a good spot.”

Drawing on his experience, Brox fine-tuned his racing approach to prevail at the county meet.

“I am beginning to have more appreciation and excitement around racing and racing to win — that is something I really saw from Jeremy,” said Brox, referring to former Wilberforce standout Jeremy Sallade. “It has always been about the improvement for me, how many seconds can I take off my time. I like the math game of trying to strategize how I can be the fastest and what training I need to do, but I also think going into a race the time doesn’t matter — today I am racing to win. It changes a lot of things, and that can be really fun. It is focus on what is in front of you. If there are people in front of you, what do you have to do make it happen? It can be a lot more concrete.”

Wilberforce head coach Lois Szeliga sensed that Brox was primed for a big performance last Thursday despite being hampered by illness.

“This was only his third race of the year, I knew he had it in him,” said Szeliga. “We knew he was a strong contender, but then he had this health setback. We had a dual meet last week and that was his first race in a while. He felt good, his legs felt good — he looked like old Caleb. He felt good coming into counties. He knew there was some other great competition and was excited to race for the win. He was not going for time, he was racing to win, just enjoying it.”

Watching Brox come through with the win was a great feeling for Szeliga.

“He came over that hill and I saw that he was in that top pack just where he wanted to be,” said Szeliga. “His strategy was, ‘if I feel good, I am going to pull away.’ It is something that you are so happy to see. He is a selfless kind of athlete and just for him to have that moment is rewarding.”

In Szeliga’s view, Brox has developed into a selfless leader for the squad, which placed sixth in the team standings of the meet win by WW/P-North.

“Caleb has not only grown as an athlete, but also his character by being patient and a great leader to these freshmen,” said Szeliga. “Having a young team, I wouldn’t want anyone other than Caleb to be their leader. I think he is really enjoying his senior year.”

Szeliga enjoyed seeing the quartet of junior Philip Schidlovsky and freshmen Elias Edwards, Micah Brox, and Henry Jepson compete well at the county meet. Schidlovsky placed 39th while Brox took 42nd, Edwards finished 51st, and Jepson came in 74th.

“They have been forming a great pack,” said Szeliga. “They have been taking advantage of that and really trying to stay with each other. We had Henry, who had a minute PR that really gave us sixth place. That was our best performance by far at the counties. Last year we were 10th and that was our best performance.”

With the Non-Public meet on the horizon, Szeliga believes her boys can produce another big performance.

“I think they really have a shot at the Non-Public title, we just hope that everyone stays healthy,” said Szeliga. “I think that having the counties was just a great championship feel for them, especially the younger boys. They haven’t been in that position very much.”

The Wilberforce girls also gave a great effort at the county meet, taking third even though one of the team’s top runners, Adeline Edwards, was sidelined due to injury.

“It was, ‘OK girls, we are still going to try to win,’” said Szeliga, reflecting on her pre-race message. “We are not going to have Adeline, and I felt like they all rose to the occasion. They really all outperformed what they had been doing all season, which is just what you want to see.”

Sophomore Laura Sallade rose to the occasion, taking fifth in a time of 19:35.50.

“Laura had a 30-second PR, first time breaking 20 minutes and Thompson is not necessary a fast course,” said Szeliga.

Following Sallade was sophomore Eve Szeliga, who took 19th with senior Virginia Whitman coming in 27th, junior Gwen Mersereau placing 29th, and freshman Stella Blanchard finishing 47th.

“Eve had big issues with shin splints, this was her first race in a while,” said Szeliga of her daughter.
“It just showed that she was a competitor because she was motivated to win for her teammates. Virginia and Gwen are trying to create that pack, you don’t want to have other people scoring in between. I am really proud of all of these girls. It lifts everybody’s spirits, showing you can still do well and endure setbacks. It is do your best, and that is all you can do.”

The team’s effort at the county meet, which was won by Princeton High, bodes well for the upcoming Non-Public meet.

“This showed that you run as a team, they got a lot of confidence by running against the top teams in the county,” said Szeliga. “For a small school like us to do well, it just gives you so much confidence going into the states.”

Brox, for his part, is excited to lead the boys’ team into state competition.

“I am super excited for the season. For me, this year has been different,” said Brox. “Our guys’ team this year is very strong. My brother is on the team, and it has been great running with him. There is a lot of talent there. I don’t think we were really competing for a title as a team on Thursday, but the team place did matter. That was our best place as a team in school history, so I am happy about that as well.”