Championship Debrief: Brian Finnel (Middleton Boys XC)

24 hours after the Wisconsin State Cross Country meet, we sat down with Brian Finnel, the head coach of the D1 State Boys Champion Middleton Cardinals, to breakdown a tremendous final day of what has been an incredibly fulfilling season. He talks about how a squad that historically has been led by a podium finisher had six different number ones this year, the evolution of the team's mindset throughout the season, and how their program grew and learned from some hard days in the past. 

Brian offers a candid insight into the growth and changing identity of a program that has finished Top 3 at the the State Cross meet every year he has been at the helm. He also shares the legendary story of a two week stretch in the fall of 2017 that included having to (temporarily) part ways with his team just moments after being handed their first state championship trophy. We loved the conversation we were fortunate to have with Brian, and hope it's a fun and meaningful glimpse into the world of the newly minted state champions.