Super Scout: Bell wins her fifth SWC cross country title as just a junior
Gothenburg's Scout Bell nears the 4,000-meter mark during the Southwest Conference cross country meet Thursday at Cozad Country Club in Cozad.
COZAD — No stranger to claiming Southwest Conference titles, Gothenburg junior Scout Bell earned her fifth Thursday at Cozad Country Club in Cozad.
Bell claimed her first SWC title as a seventh grader, and hasn't let up. Her time of 19:29 pushed her into yet another gold medal Thursday.
"It's good, I mean, conference is less important, but it's still one of the more important things," Bell said. "I think I was more worried about our team going into this. I'm just kind of anxious to figure out we did as a team."
Once Bell realized the lady Swedes claimed the conference title, a big smile came across her face. "We did ... we did get first?" Bell questioned in excitement.
"It's been like one of our big goals, and I think since we've achieved that then it'll make it easier for our new team goals to seem more achievable and not out of reach," she said.
Bell goes on to explain her love for individual sports, but cross country has a team aspect. "I don't have to rely on other people and I like being able to rely on myself," she said. "I do enjoy the team aspect of it because I love to have them (teammates) there to push me. If I'm having a hard time finding a reason to keep going, then my team keeps me going.
"So it's nice to have them there to hold me accountable."
With just a few weeks left in the season, Bell has learned a lot about herself and her competition style.
"This season, I've had a lot more competition. So I found out that the time is always there, and can I challenge it? And who will help me bring myself to that challenge?" she said. "I just need to push myself more, the time is always achievable.
"It's just sometimes, mentally, when I'm by myself, I have a hard time speeding up. I've definitely learned that it's not that I'm not fast enough, it's that I just don't know how to challenge myself whenever I'm all by myself."
Bell said that today was her first race where she was all by herself from the start. "I guess I just try and chase the cart when it's just me and there's nobody else. It's me against the clock, so I'm thinking about my time," she said.
"It's definitely more difficult to get the motivation to go faster, especially when there's not someone beside you constantly on your hip. My times aren't always as good when there's not a person next to me."
Bell said that when it's just yourself, you're battling yourself. "And it's not always easy to do."
LADY SWEDES
Cassidy Reiman, a freshman, finished in second with a time of 19:43.
Brooklyn Reiman, a junior, medaled in sixth with a time of 20:58.
Jenna Anderson, a junior, took 13th with a time of 22:14.
Ruby Beveridge, a sophomore, finished in 18th with a time of 24:39.
Tessa Carter, a junior, had a time of 25:43 for 19th.
