Luke Alverson Posts Shining Race Results- Captures State Spotlight
MADISON- Luke Alverson has narrowed his choice of college to three major universities with his decision on where to earn his education and run cross country within the next month. In the meantime, the James Clemens senior runner earned the AHSAA Cross Country Spotlight after becoming the first runner in Alabama to break the 15-minute mark this season by posting a personal best time of 14:49.25 to win the Southern Showcase held at John Hunt Park in Huntsville. His posted time ranks him 10th nationally according To MileSplit.
“This was the first race for me this season as I’ve been on several college visits, but the competition in the race was very good as the No. 4 and No. 12 nationally ranked runners were there,” said Alverson. “The course was wet and muddy, but somehow I posted my personal best time.”
The 6-foot, 155-pound Alverson started the race with loads of confidence and went out alongside the best runners keeping them close by. With about 1,000 meters remaining, the top James Clemens runner said, “I kicked in and with 400 meters left to go, I passed the lead runner and went on to an eight-second victory.”
His spotlight performance is just one of what has become happenstance for the student-athlete who has a 5.19 grade point average and is ranked No. 12 in the senior class at James Clemens which totals 536. His athletic and academic talents have attracted some of the top schools in the country. He narrowed his choices to Michigan, Duke and UCLA. “I have family that lives in California, thus my possible choice at attend school there and my grandfather went to Michigan, so I’m looking at them, too. Wherever I attend, I want to study electrical engineering.”
More than 250 runners from across the Southeast hit the course located near Joe Davis Stadium on the grounds of what was once the Huntsville Municipal Golf Course, but Alverson was determined to perform well against his peers, many of which are nationally ranked. He added, “It feels great to have my own national ranking as my time is fast, but I need to keep working toward my possibly being named an All-American at the end of the season.”
