BROOKINGS HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE SOUTH DAKOTA BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (January 16, 2014) — In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Addison DeHaven of Brookings High School as its 2013-14 Gatorade South Dakota Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. DeHaven is the first Gatorade South Dakota Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Brookings High School.
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 DeHaven as South Dakota’s best high school boys cross country runner. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, DeHaven 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.).
The 6-foot, 135-pound senior won the 2013 Nike Cross Nationals Heartland Regional championships, breaking the tape in 15:08.9. DeHaven qualified for the 2013 Nike Cross Nationals Final, where he finished 17th in 15:24. The state’s returning Gatorade Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, he also took second at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional championships with a time of 15:09, and finished 18th at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, crossing the line in 15:43. A three-time First Team All-State selection, DeHaven won his second straight Class AA individual state championship in 15:34.30.
DeHaven has maintained a 3.43 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf the Special Olympics, the Boys and Girls Club of America and as a youth track and field coach.
“Addison DeHaven has become an incredible individual both on and off the cross country course,” said Brookings High head coach Chris Gruenhagen. “His work ethic is second-to-none and leadership with the rest of the team is incredible. His presence on the team will be greatly missed, but we are excited to see where life takes him in the future.”
DeHaven has verbally committed to an athletic scholarship at the University of Wisconsin beginning this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
Two time winner DeHaven joins Gatorade South Dakota Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Tony Smoragiewicz (2011-12 & 2010-11, Rapid City Central High School), Josh Heitkamp (2009-10, Washington), Alex Muntefering (2008- 09, Parkston), and Bill Kogel (2007-08, Roosevelt) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.
