Seward HIGH sCHOOLSTANDOUT NAMED
GATORADE Alaska BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

 

CHICAGO (January 23, 2012) — In its 27^th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Miles Knotek of Seward HS as its 2011-12 Gatorade Alaska Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Knotek is the first Gatorade Alaska Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Seward HS. 

 

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Knotek as Alaska’s best high school boys cross country runner.  Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Knotek joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

 

The 5-foot-10 junior raced to the Class 1-2-3A individual state championship this past season with a time of 16:23, leading the Seahawks to third place as a team. Knotek also won the Region 3 Championship meet, the Seward Invitational, the Nikisi Class Races and the ACS Class Challenge. He placed second at the Skyview Invitational. 

 

Knotek has maintained a 3.96 GPA in the classroom. A peer tutor at his school, he has volunteered locally on behalf of youth track programs and a community garden project.

 

“Miles is determined in the heat of competition and resilient,” said Seward head coach Dan Marshall. “He’s willing to experiment with his race and not just rely on one universal strategy.”

 

Knotek will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

 

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

 

Knotekjoins Gatorade Alaska Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Silas Talbot (2010-11, Service High School), Jacob Kirk (2009-10, Grace Christian School), Trevor Dunbar (2008-09, 2007-08, Kodiak) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highland HIGH sCHOOLSTANDOUT NAMED
GATORADE Idaho BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

 

CHICAGO (January 23, 2012) — In its 27^th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Dallin Farnsworth of Highland HS as its 2011-12 Gatorade Idaho Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Farnsworth is the first Gatorade Idaho Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Highland HS. 

 

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Farnsworth as Idaho’s best high school boys cross country runner.  Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Farnsworth joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

 

The 5-foot-10 senior placed third at the Foot Locker West Regional championships this past season with a time of 15:41, earning a spot in the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, where he finished 11th in 15:29. The 2010-11 Gatorade Idaho Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, Farnsworth took third at the Nike Cross Nationals Northwest Regional championships, crossing the line in 15:43.3 and won his second straight Class 5A individual state championship this past season with a time of 15:40.58.

Dallin Farnsworth at Foot Locker (pic by Colleen Collins)

 

Farnsworth has maintained a 3.88 GPA in the classroom. An accomplished vocalist in his school’s concert choir, he has volunteered locally on behalf of multiple community service initiatives in association with his church youth group.

 

“Dallin Farnsworth has excelled in the sport in Idaho the past two seasons,” said Dave Mills, head coach of rival Boise High. “He is a fine young man and a true competitor with many great things ahead of him.”

 

Farnsworth remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

 

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

 

Farnsworthjoins Gatorade Idaho Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Cody Helbling (2009-10, Lake City), Barak Watson (2008-09, Columbia), and Eric Fitzpatrick (2007-08, Boise) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summit HIGH sCHOOLSTANDOUT NAMED
GATORADE Oregon BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

 

CHICAGO (January 23, 2012) — In its 27^th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Travis Neuman of Summit HS as its 2011-12 Gatorade Oregon Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Neuman is the first Gatorade Oregon Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Summit HS. 

Travis Nueman w/ Jackson Baker at State (Colleen Collins)

 

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Neuman as Oregon’s best high school boys cross country runner.  Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Neuman joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

 

The 5-foot-8 junior raced to the Class 5A individual state championship this past season with a time of 15:32, leading the Storm to the state title as a team. Neuman earned victories at the Concordia Adidas Classic, the Harrier Classic and the Oxford Classic, while finishing seventh at the Nike Cross Nationals Northwest Regional championships.

 

Neuman has maintained a 3.77 GPA in the classroom. A member of the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, he has volunteered on behalf of Sparrow Clubs USA and school environmental initiatives.

 

“Travis is incredibly hard-working and intelligent,” said Summit head coach Dave Clark. “He’s an absolute joy to coach and has been a very positive role model for his teammates.”

 

Neuman will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

 

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

 

Neumanjoins Gatorade Oregon Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Matthew Melancon (2010-11, Sheldon High School), Drew Jordan (2009-10, North Medford ), Elliott Jantzer (2008-09, Phoenix), and Bryce Burgess (2007-08, Franklin) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.

 

Shadle Park HIGH sCHOOLSTANDOUT NAMED
GATORADE Washington BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

 

CHICAGO (January 23, 2012) — In its 27^th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Nathan Weitz of Shadle Park HS as its 2011-12 Gatorade Washington Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.  Weitz is the first Gatorade Washington Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Shadle Park HS. 

 

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Weitz as Washington’s best high school boys cross country runner.  Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Weitz joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Kevin Garnett (1992-93, Maudlin HS, S.C.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

 

The 5-foot-8 senior raced to third place at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships with a time of 15:20.5. Weitz finished second at the Class 3A state meet in 14:59.3 and second at the Foot Locker West Regional championships with a time of 15:30. He also earned victories at the state’s regional championships, the Sundodger Invitational, the Meadlander Invitational and the Eric Anderson Invitational.

 

Weitz has maintained a B Average in the classroom at The Oaks Classical Christian Academy, where he attends high school and which does not offer a cross country program. He has volunteered locally as a Sunday school teacher and has participated in a service-mission trip to Zambia.

 

“Nathan is a remarkable runner who has a very savvy ability, at a young age, to know how to compete in a race,” said Shadle Park head coach Bruce Hafferkamp. “He’s very smart and humble, and he still has a lot of room to grow.”

 

Weitz remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

 

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

 

Weitzj oins Gatorade Washington Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Kenji Bierig (2010-11, Lewis & Clark High School), Shane Moskowitz (2009-10, Central Kitsap), Andrew Kimpel (2008-09, North Central), and Miles Unterreiner (2007-08, Gig Harbor) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.

 

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.