Wild emotional swings aren’t part of James Harrell’s personality.

Instead, a steady attitude with focus, are traits of the Brandywine junior as he works to improve his cross country running style.

Brandywine veteran cross country coach Jim Murray accepts the challenge of working with runners with all kinds of different personalities.

“I’ve got a small team this year,” said Murray. “Every kid is different. I’ve had big teams and almost every kid is different. Kids are kids. Adults are adults. Everybody has a different way of expressing themselves and different ways of working.”

Putting in the work has helped Harrell become one of the area’s top runners this year. The third-year varsity runner finished third overall in points this year in the B.C.S. Conference. Harrell finished fourth at the conference championships.

“I really put in a lot of work during the summer,” said Harrell. “I ran in long distance races and did the Sunburst Marathon a week after track season ened. I did quite a few 5 and 10K’s.”

Recently, at the Brandywine Cross Country Invitational, Harrell finished fifth with a time of 17:49.

At that meet, Harrell overcame taking the PSAT in the morning and cold and rainy weather.

“It was a little cold, but I’ve run in cold weather before,” Harrell said. “I can handle it.

“There were a couple of schools in our region that we usually don’t race that were (at the invitational). That’s why I really wanted to do the race. That’s why I worked so hard to get out here and get warmed up. (Murray) was willing to work with me to move back the time of the race. He put the middle schools before us and did everything he could.”

Murray likes the direction Murray is headed as the high school cross country season concludes.

“He’s made progress and is running well,” the Bobcats coach said.

“The first thing this year that I’ve noticed about him is that he’s been up towards the front, which is different from running in the crowd. That’s an adjustment and he’s making that adjustment. It takes time. Up there in front you’re racing.”

Harrell is ready to improve on last year’s 18th place finish (17:40) at last year’s Division III regional in Portage. The top three teams and the top 15 individuals not on qualifying teams make it to the state finals. The regionals take place this Saturday in Portage.

“(Last year’s regional finish) kind of put me down a little bit,” Harrell admitted. “I’m going to have to go out and run my own race. I want to go to state. I feel like I can.”

Murray likes Harrell’s chances.

“I think he can finish 7 to 8 to 12-13-14-15,” the Bobcats coach said. “He’s on the low end of the bubble.

“We haven’t seen quite a few people at the regional. The kid from Berrien Springs (Brad Wurzel) he’s run with a couple of times. He was a little bit further ahead (17:20) of Harrell (at the Brandywine Invitational). That’s the nice thing about racing. Just because you ran good last week doesn’t mean you’re going to run good this week. Just because you ran bad last week doesn’t mean you’ll run bad this week.”