Brettley Harris - Photo by Lance McDaniel
This is the eighth in a series of previews on West Virginia High School boys’ and girls’ cross country for the 2013 season.
Athlete: Brettley Harris
Year: Junior
School: Webster County High School (Class of 2015)
Location: Upper Glade, WV
Class: AA Boys
Pre-Season Rank: West Virginia #6 / Class AA/A #2
Coach: Steven Nutter
Personal Bests:
800 Meter Run - 2:14.98
1,600 Meter Run - 4:40.52
3,200 Meter Run - 10:08.73
5,000 Meter Run - 16:22.60
Progression by Season:
800 Meter Run
2013 Outdoor - 2:17.47
2012 Outdoor - 2:14.98
1,600 Meter Run
2013 Outdoor - 4:40.52
2012 Outdoor - 4:50.18
3,200 Meter Run
2013 Outdoor - 10:08.73
2012 Outdoor - 10:12.46
5,000 Meter Run
2012 CC - 16:22.60
2011 CC - 17:55.00
Athletic Honors:
2012 WV Cross Country All-State First Team – 5000M (16:22) 6th place
Brettley Harris, a junior at Webster County High School, is the pre-season WV#6 and the Class AA/A boys #2 ranked runner. He had an outstanding sophomore cross country season.
Cross Country: In October, Brettley ran a PR of 16:22.60 at the West Virginia State XC Championships, placing sixth.
Outdoor Track: In April, Brettley ran a new season best time of 2:17.47 in the 800 at the Buckhannon-Upshur 8 Team Meet. He ran a PR of 4:40.52 for fourth in the 1,600 and ran a PR of 10:08.73 in the 3,200, placing fifth, at the Charleston Gazette/Friends of Coal Relays. In May, Brettley was 10th in 4:46.15 in the 1,600 and ran a 10:32.49 in the 3,200 for 12th at the West Virginia State Track & Field Championships.
Brettley Harris Career Graph for 5,000 Meters
About:
Where did you go to middle school?
I went to Webster Springs Middle School.
When did you start running track or cross country?
I started track in the sixth grade and cross country in the eighth grade.
What sports did you participate in when you were younger?
I played baseball, basketball and football when I was younger. I then gave up baseball and football for track and cross country.
Do you have one race or personal record time you are most proud of?
I'm proud of my race at last year's state cross country meet where I ran a 16:22 and got sixth place.
What are your goals for you and your team this XC season?
I plan on going for top three at states. As for our team, we are focusing on winning conference, and then going forward after that.
After the regular XC season is over, will you take part in any of the national races like Foot Locker Championships or the Nike XC race?
I don't know if I will be able to afford to do Foot Locker or Nike, but I will be doing some indoor track meets for sure.
Do you plan on running in college?
Yes, I would like to go run college at WV Wesleyan.
Who is the most influential person in your running career?
My coach, Steven Nutter, is definitely the most influential person in my running career and in my life.
Harris’ 2013 Cross Country Schedule:
Aug 27 - Bobcat Kickoff Classic at Buckhannon, WV
Aug 31 - Geico Classic Invitational at Ona, WV
Sept 7 – Chic-Fil-A at Mineral Wells, WV
Sept 14 - Forest Festival Invitational at Elkins, WV
Sept 17 - Battle Run Invitational at Summersville, WV
Sept 24 - Buccaneer Invitational at Buckhannon, WV
Sept 28 - Big Ditch Lake Invitational at Cowen, WV
Oct 5 - Ritchie County Invitational at Harrisville, WV
Oct 17 - Little Kanawha Conference XC Meet at St. Marys, WV
Oct 24 - Region I Cross Country Meet at Mineral Wells, WV
Nov 2 - State Cross Country Meet - Cabell Midland HS at Ona, WV
Final Thought:
Brettley Harris made a significant cross country improvement from freshman to sophomore seasons. He improved from 30th to sixth while taking more than a minute and 56 seconds off his time. Harris looks to build upon last year’s success by placing in the top three. This year’s West Virginia High School Class AA/A Boys Cross Country Championship is shaping up to be a three-way battle between Johnny Hogue of Ritchie County HS (Class AA/A #1), Brettley Harris of Webster County HS (Class AA/A #2) and Abraham Merinar of Bridgeport Senior HS (Class AA/A #3). At last year’s state meet, Hogue beat Harris by only 11 seconds, while Harris only beat Merinar by eight seconds.
Harris shouldn’t become complacent after last year’s success. There are three runners that could easily challenge for the top three spots: Scott Nesland, a senior at Philip Barbour HS, Jason Weitzel, a junior at PikeView HS, and Glenn McMillan, a junior at Wirt County HS.
Will Brettley Harris build upon last year’s success in cross country? Can some up-and-coming talent steal one of the top three spots at the AA/A Boys West Virginia State XC Meet?
