![The varsity boys cross country team poses for a photo at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis, Tenn. The Memphis Twilight Classic is the largest event the team attends. “[I enjoyed] hanging out with the team every day at practice,” Patten said. “I wanted to be the best I could for my team; I really wanted to help out.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/XC-PHOTO-1200x822.jpg)
With the crack of the gun, 300 runners embarked upon a 5K loop at the City Auto Memphis Twilight XC Classic on Aug. 30, 2025. One of these runners, and the winner of it all, was senior Wade Patten.
Inspired by his parents and older brother, Patten joined the boys cross country program as a freshman. Four years later, Patten still races with the program as a member of the varsity team.
“I started out as a tiny little freshman. I was pretty good as a freshman, but now I’ve come to be one of the better varsity runners in the area, so it was definitely a long process,” Patten said.
Most recently, in Memphis, Patten achieved a time of 15:22.45, breaking the all-time school record of 15:37 set by alumnus Eric Fernandez. Additionally, Patten left his mark, leading all runners in Missouri by five seconds.
Along with Patten, the boys varsity team placed fifth amongst 37 teams at the invitational. Led by math teacher and head boys varsity coach Kevin John, the team earned a total of 189 points.
“[Patten] is an extremely consistent runner. That’s probably his greatest strength. He hasn’t missed a run in over two years, so he’s been getting his daily work in consistently. It’s paying off for him,” John said.
Patten’s achievements have been set up by a rigorous training schedule, which includes running 60 miles a week. Additionally, Patten focuses on his diet and sleep, especially before big races.
Next up, Patten will run at the Parkway Quad on Sept. 6. Later on, he hopes to win the boys cross country state championship and compete as a collegiate athlete.
“I knew I had a chance to win, but I just had to go out there and actually do it. [Winning state] will be tough, but it’s definitely possible,” Patten said.
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![Putting on his helmet, catcher and senior Tommy Eschbach prepares to get in his primary stance. Despite losing 6-1 against Eureka on April 16, Eschbach didn’t let the tough loss affect his playing or mental health. “It's [so] easy to get caught up in the sport and what you're doing that [after] one bad game or a stretch of games it is hard to remind yourself that your worth as a person isn't directly related to your performance on the field,” Eschbach said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0415-1-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Sports organizations have changed lives on and off the field, improving athletes’ muscle strength, reducing their risk of diseases and building energetic work capacity worldwide. However, many student-athletes struggle to balance schoolwork and athletic commitments, hoping to seek more understanding and support from their teachers and coaches. “To lessen mental strain student-athletes [face] and create a healthier, more comfortable lifestyle, there shouldn’t be any homework. I'm already [at school] for eight hours and [homework] creates a bigger load for student-athletes in AP or honors classes,” track and field sprinter and sophomore Lucy Penton said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0095-1-e1713883278514-1200x847.jpg)
