Every runner has aspirations to advance to the regional meet at least once in their career. Mayfield senior Tim Zagar and South’s Ethan Scott have had nightmares at the Madison District that put dampers on those dreams. Going into their senior seasons, both knew they had one final chance to make those dreams come true. The pair had two different races at the Madison District as they took their final shot at advancing to Boardman. Zagar was in the middle of the chase pack and a safe 24th-place finish awaited the Wildcats runner. He sees the advancement to regionals as a perfect cap to an eventful career on the courses. In the second half of the season, Zagar moved up from the No. 2 runner behind Jaswant Singh, a regional qualifier from a season ago. While the Wildcats were just short of team advancement, Zagar said he had someone to push him to continue his season “It means a lot, Jaswant is one of my closest friends,” Zagar said. “We’ve always been neck and neck since freshman year. It’s been a good competition and I want to see him succeed too. We’ve always picked each other up. We both wanted to run regionals together. Getting to regionals means a lot. I feel like at times I’ve put more into running than school. My first race was a 32-minute 5K. It was a rocky start but something switched and I locked in.” Scott had a different challenge, as he entered the final straight in 33rd with the top 32 advancing. He knew it was now or never for his dream. The Rebels’ senior turned on the afterburners and dug deep for a 31st-place finish with a 17:05.29 not only to advance but also his fastest time at the Madison course in his eight career races there. “This was all I’ve been working for the past 10 years,” Scott said. “To have all these people that I’ve known for years upon years pushed me that if I wanted it, I could get it. Hearing that lit a fire under me and I just had to go.” While the schools on the front of their jerseys are different, they have bonded over the years of running in the same meets and the WRC connection. Scott and Zagar have used that bond and friendship to push each other, not just to the regional meet but for the fastest times of their career. Both are excited to have their chance for one more race in their respective campaigns and the chance to earn a spot at the state meet. “It means everything,” Scott said. “Knowing that the same person that has been pushing me year after year, got there, too, and the fact that I can support him and he can support me, that means everything. It’s awesome.” Zagar added: “I think it’ll be good. It’s always good competition between us. I look forward to running against him in regionals. I know that we can make it. We can get the lifetime PRs and I’m really happy for both of us.” They are both proud of advancing to regionals and having a strong note for their careers to end on. Both are proud of the work they’ve done from the start of their careers to the end. With the weight now off their shoulders of finally advancing out of districts, they know they can run free at Boardman with no pressure. “It isn’t as impressive as Tim but I had a terrible first race at War on the Shore my freshman year,” Scott added. “But it got in my mind that if I can do this now, my senior year I’m going places. As long as I kept working, my close friends pushing me all the way, I could do it.” Both step to the line on Oct. 26 looking to find a way to advance to the state meet. They are a part of the Division I race at 2:00 p.m.