The Gatorade Company with Collaboration from ESPN Rise has named senior   Jacob Kirk (Grace Christian School) and sophomore Kailey Wilson (Kenny Lake School) Gatorade Players of the Year for Alaska.    The award is given to a player who not only shows excellence in their sport but also in the classroom.  The athletes must also show strong character on and off the course.   Kirk placed second at the Skyview Invite and won the Wasilla Invitational.  He also won the Alaska State Championships.   New to running and with no Cross Country team at Kenny Lake School, Wilson became a one person team running undefeated all season and winning the Alaska Cross Country State Championship.  Wilson repeated as the Alaskan Cross Country State Champion this year with the fastest time of the day regardless of Division.  

The nerves usually don’t kick in too much for Lizzie Powell.   The senior from Patrick Henry High in Virginia, and a nationally-ranked pole-vaulter, does get a little nervous. She does get that excited anticipation that one normally experiences before competition.   This time, though, it was different. (Lizzie and her sister Annie, a vaulter for UNC Wilmington)

NEW YORK – It seemed perfect. Bernard Lagat sat exactly where he needed to be with Asbel Kiprop of Kenya taking on all the work while he drafted and Great Britian’s Andy Baddeley kept him honest from behind. (Photo by Mary DiBiase Blaich/wingedfootfotos.com)  

Photo courtesy of ArmoryTrack.com