KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It was around the eight grade when Carter Cline decided to start taking running seriously.
"I've always enjoyed the process of running," Cline said. "And I've always been pretty good at it.
That's an understatement considering the year the Mill Valley senior and Hy-Vee Athlete of the Week has had on the local cross country courses.
"We knew he had potential," Mill Valley Cross Country Coach Chris McAfee said. "But potential, you only achieve that through hard work; his work ethic is amazing."
His potential is being realized.
"That sub-15 felt pretty nice," Cline said with a smile.
Back in September at the Olathe Twilight Meet, Cline broke the coveted 15-minute mark in the 5K.
"Going into the season I didn't really have a time goal," Cline said. "My coach always says, 'If you compete, the times will come.'"
Cline clocked a blistering 14:55 in the meet.
"It wasn't just a matter of the time, it was the way he competed," McAfee said. "It was a really good field."
Now the senior will be looking to prove it at state on Nov. 2 at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, a place Cline has already won this season.
"In the state of Kansas, I think he's maybe one of eight or nine guys who have ever broken 15," McAfee said.
Cline said clocking the impressive time didn't hit him until weeks later.
"Even after the race it didn't kind of hit me until a few weeks later that I actually ran that," said Cline.
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