Schools

St. John's Student Named Gatorade's ' Runner of the Year'

This is the 28th year that Gatorade has honored the nation's top athletes.

Submitted by Emily White, director of communications, St. John’s High School

In its 28th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, the Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, recently announced Jonathan Green of St. John’s High School as its 2012-13 Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. Green is the first Runner of the Year to be chosen from St. John’s.

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 Green as Massachusetts’ best high school boys cross country runner.

Green, who lives in Berlin, is currently a senior at St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury.

Green raced to his second straight Division I individual state championship this past season with a time of 15:29.6. A three-time First Team All-State selection, Green earned second place at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional championships. He went on to finish 22nd at the national Foot

Locker Cross Country Championships in 15:45.

“I am extremely impressed by everything I have seen from Jonathan Green,” said Brian Wallace, head coach at Wachusett Regional High. “We have competed against him quite a bit and he always approaches the sport with class in addition to being an exceptional runner.”

Green is a devoted parishioner in his church community, and has volunteered locally as a youth cross country and track and field coach. He has verbally committed to an athletic scholarship at Georgetown University beginning this fall.

Green 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.). Recent Massachusetts Cross Country Runners of the Year include Wesley Gallagher (2011-12, Pembroke HS), and John Murray (2010-11, Shrewsbury HS).


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