MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As University High’s Larry Josh Edwards continues to shatter distance-running records along the way, he was awarded the Gatorade Boys Cross-Country Runner of the Year on Monday.
He is the third UHS runner to win the award.
The 5-foot-7, 120-pound sophomore had a stellar cross-country season, capped off with a first-place finish at the state meet in November with a time of 15:50.06, over 14 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Edwards’ win also helped the Hawks claim the boys’ team title.
“This year has been great, definitely my best,” Edwards said. “I learned more about myself this year than I had the past 15.”
While the Gatorade Award is specific to cross-country, Edwards’ stellar year isn’t just what he’s done on the course. He’s had an impressive streak on the track, specifically the 3,200-meter run.
At the state meet last May, Edwards finished third in the 3,200 with a time of 9:22.50, 11 seconds off the leader. Prior to that, last February, he ran a 9:12 at the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase in Geneva, Ohio.
From his eighth-grade year to his freshman, Edwards improved his time by 51 seconds in the indoor 3,200 race. His next goal was to run a sub-9:00 time, and he did that Sunday at this year’s edition of the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase.
Edwards ran a 8:56.41, and to put it into perspective, that time puts him second nationally in the indoor 3,200 — two seconds behind Caleb Brown (Ohio), according to MileSplit. Edwards’ time is also the fastest ever by a native West Virginian and he is only the fifth sophomore ever to have a sub-9:00 mark.
“Going into this indoor sub-9 was definitely the plan,” he said. “After a couple weeks of solid training, I knew I was fit enough for it. Now, going sub-9 for a full two miles is my next plan.
“It’s cool to see myself doing better year to year and how I stack up against national competition. It’s also cool to see how I’m doing in regards to the history of the sport.”
Back to cross-country, Edwards also took 15th-place at the Foot Locker South Regional championships and won five of seven races on the season. He did not lose to an in-state runner all year.
He volunteered locally with the Special Olympics and as a youth running coach.
“I have seen enough elite runners to learn the look that the great ones have in their eyes and this year Josh had it,” Wheeling Park coach Jacob Galik said in a news release. “Nothing is given in cross-country, there is no luck. Every time we saw Josh, every time the gun was about to go off, he knew what he was about to do and he did it, in every race and in the biggest moments.”
Edwards maintained an unweighted 4.05 GPA in the classroom.
On Jan. 28, Morgantown’s Lea Hatcher won the Gatorade Girls Cross-Country Runner of the Year.
