Kirtland Central’s Harrison named Gatorade Runner of Year

Kashon Harrison of Kirtland Central High School has been named the 2018-19 Gatorade New Mexico Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Harrison, who has committed to Oregon, is the first Gatorade New Mexico Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Kirtland Central.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Harrison as New Mexico’s best high school boys cross country runner.

He is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced later this month.

The state’s returning Gatorade Runner of the Year, the 5-foot-6, 115-pound senior won the Class 4A state meet this past season in 15 minutes, 27.35 seconds, breaking the tape 39.20 seconds ahead of his next-closest competitor and leading the Broncos to a fourth-place finish as a team.

Harrison won the Foot Locker West Regional championships for a second straight year, then earned All-American status by finishing 11th at the FLCCC. He also took fifth at the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional championships.

Harrison has volunteered locally as a youth running coach. He has maintained a weighted 3.05 grade-point average.