Lukas Pabst
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: BOYS CROSS COUNTY ....
After a season that included an injury, Bentonville High School senior Lukas Pabst bounced back to secure the individual Class 6A cross-country state championship with a personal-best time of
15 minutes, 21.9 seconds, beating every other competitor by more than 13 seconds. The team also won its third-consecutive Class 6A title. “I’ve been kind of dreaming about that day,” Pabst said, “like ever since I started running, just seeing my teammates work really hard when I was young and just seeing their success.
The team victory was the best present anyone can ever give me.” He is the All-Arkansas Preps Outstanding Player of the
Year for Boys Cross Country. Pabst started his cross-country career in his freshman year. He had tried out for the basketball team but didn’t make it. His mother, Stacie Pabst, is a runner, and Lukas had run some races with her, so he decided to put his focus on cross country. “I think what makes him a special athlete and makes him stand out is that he has a gift for setting meaningful goals,” Stacie said. “He puts God first and then follows that up with things like a solid workout, eating, sleeping habits. He works his plan until he’s achieved what he set out to do.” Bentonville
High School boys cross-country coach Michael Power agrees that Lukas’ determination is what drives his success. “When he sets goals, he does everything he can to achieve them,” Power said. “He’s a down-toearth kid. He knows that there’s other things in life apart from sports.” This season, Lukas also had a strained hamstring. Power said they made a plan for him to recover, which included stretching and light swimming. In school, Lukas has a 4.11 GPA and enjoys math and Advanced Placement Government. Lukas is also in the Chinese Club, and outside of school, he’s an Eagle Scout and is active in his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lukas also plays cello in the school orchestra and has two businesses, mowing lawns and auto detailing.
I JUST AM SO GRATEFUL for all that hard
work paying off. It feels so good.” — Lukas Pabst, OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR BOYS CROSS COUNTRY