Chaffee's Boschan brings home Class 1 state cross country title

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The first thing Chaffee junior Luisa Boschan did after winning the girls Class 1 cross country championship Saturday morning was run over to the sidelines.

Boschan went to cheer on her Red Devils teammates as they finished the race. That's because Boschan feels like they're family after leaving Germany in August to spend the year as a foreign exchange student.

"The most important thing is to support each other," Boschan said. "We are a good team. I've been on this team for three months and I'm very proud of it."

Boschan's parents won't know she won until today when she can call them. She waited because of the time difference between Missouri and Germany.

"I'm so excited to call them," she said.

After winning the conference and district titles, Boschan thought she had a chance to capture the state title.

"I wanted to try it, but I didn't expect it," Boschan said.

After she passed Midway sophomore MacKenzie Weis going around the final turn before heading up the big hill to finish 11 seconds ahead of Weis, she knew she could win.

"Oh my God, I thought I went too fast too early," Boschan said. "I didn't want to [pass her] so early, but I just did it anyways.

"Coming up the hill, I ran so fast because I thought she might catch me."

They don't have school-sanctioned sports at her school in Germany, so she ran with the local club. She's won a few times in Germany, but "not such a big meet."

Boschan decided to live in the United States for a lot of reasons, and said she never had made such an adventurous decision before the one to spend a year abroad.

"I wanted the new experience, learn the language and the culture," Boschan said. "USA is big in Germany and everyone wants to go, but not everyone can."

Boschan lives with Greg and Rena Wiley in Chaffee.

"When she first came in, it was like she was a gust, but now she's 100 percent family and she will be from this day on," Greg Wiley said. "We plan on keeping in contact with her for the rest of our lives."

Greg Wiley said that Boschan doesn't realize how much of an impact she has made on the cross country team and the school.

"She doesn't realize how big of a deal this is to Chaffee," he said. "She really has no idea."

Boschan misses her family and stays in contact with it regularly, but things are getting easier thanks to her host family.

"I miss them, but not too much because my host family is so nice," Boschan said. "I'm a part of their family now."

Boschan always will be a part of Missouri cross country history even though she won't get a chance to defend her title.

She plans to return to Germany in May.

Chaffee finishers

1. Luisa Boschan 20:12; 58. Liz Schlosser 24:56; 99. Sarah Sigman 26:37; 106. Randi Wiley 26:59; 121. Cassie Hindman 28:36; 126. Ellie Sigman 28:56; 135. Rachel Reischman 29:39