Prep notebook: Glacier Peak’s Neale named Runner of the Year again

Published 6:57 pm Tuesday, January 18, 2011

For the second straight year, Amy-Eloise Neale was named the state’s Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Gatorade, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, announced the news on Thursday. Neale, a sophomore distance runner at Glacier Peak High School, won the same award during the

2009-2010 school year.

This past fall Neale repeated as Class 3A state cross country champion, breaking the course record with a time of 17 minutes, 31.8 seconds on the 3.1-mile route in Pasco. She helped the Grizzlies win the 3A team title.

Then in early December Neale placed third in the Nike Cross Nationals race in Portland, Ore.

The Gatorade award “recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse,” according to a prepared statement about Neale’s honor.

In addition to her athletic success, Neale has a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average, enjoys playing music and has volunteered at area food banks.

Former Pilchuck coach honored

Bellevue Christian High track and field coach Larry Royce was named State Girls Track Coach of the Year and National High School Girls Coach of the Year, and was inducted into the Washington State Track Coaches Hall of Fame on Saturday during the Washington State Track and Field Coaches Association convention in Everett. Royce has coached five Bellevue Christian girls teams to state team titles, and has coached an individual state champion in every event except the javelin.

In the early 1970s Royce coached boys swimming, boys track and football at Pilchuck High in Marysville.

Others honored at the track coaches convention: Mead High’s John Mires (State Boys Track Coach of the Year), Kelly Rankin of Vancouver (State Official of the Year) and Jim Puckett (State Contributor of the Year).

Listen to The Herald’s basketball podcast

Get an audio update about the best local boys and girls hoops teams by listening to The Herald’s midseason Prep Basketball Podcast. To hear the podcast, go to http://bit.ly/gYIdA6.

State wrestling rankings

Check out Washington Wrestling Report’s updated team and individual wrestling rankings at www.washingtonwrestlingreport.com. Lake Stevens is ranked Class 4A No. 1 in the team rankings posted on Jan. 11.

Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam and follow Cane on Twitter at MikeCaneHerald.