Jun 22, 2013

Two years ago, the West Carteret graduate didn't record a single track result that made it onto MileSplit, and now...

If you've been paying attention to track and cross country in our state for the past two years, then you've witnessed the true definition of a "meteoric rise." Two years ago, John Crossley ran in the 3A East Regional as a 2-miler, clocking 10:54 (regular MileSplit photographer Joseph Bond was the lone representative for West Carteret in the 800, running 2:03). That summer, he got serious about his training, immediately improving to 16:18 during cross country season and then running 1:54.48 to win the state championship in the 800. That's right: from regional non-qualifier to state champion in 12 months! It doesn't stop there, of course: Crossley proceeded to drop down to 15:54 during this past fall season (check out his performance graph for the 5000 over the past two years); won 3A state titles in the 1000 (indoors), 1600, and 800; became the 4th North Carolina male to run under 1:50; and then became the 8th-fastest high-school 800 runner in US history, running 1:48.01 to win a national championship in the process. As you might expect, this has earned him some local and national recognition, from the Carteret County News-Times to receiving the Gatorade Athlete of the Year award for North Carolina track & field. I've been lucky enough to be present for each of the milestones John hit this year (except his breakthrough races at Taco Bell), and here is his senior year in photos (notice the common theme of his top marks coming in the biggest races).