Gonzalez Enjoys Success

RUNNER HAS WON FIVE RACES

By Paul Boyd

Posted: November 5, 2009 at 6:05 a.m.

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SPRINGDALE — Gabe Gonzalez concedes he’s still learning about cross country running, but the Springdale High junior did a little teaching at the 7A-West Conference meet.

Gonzalez was not listed among the favorites in a newspaper article prior to the meet and that gothis attention.

“I had to show them,” Gonzalez said.

Show them he did, outkicking Fayetteville’s Austin Simkins over the final 150 meters to claim the boys’ conference title a week ago in Rogers. Simkins came in with the second-fastest 5K time in the state, according to the Web site www.milesplit.us.

Gonzalez decided to quit basketball this year to concentrate on running after enjoying some success on the track during the spring. Up to this point, that’s worked out quite well since he’s picked up five wins this season.

Springdale cross country coach Seneca Lassiter said Gonzalez’s success is no surprise.

“He has a mental toughness that you can’t coach,” said Lassiter, a two-time NCAA champion and United States champion in the 1,500 meters. “I guess you just have to be born with it. He’s a coach’s dream.”

Lassiter has confi dence that Gonzalez will be in the mix for the win at Saturday’s Class 7A State Cross Country Championships in Mountain Home.

“If he runs like he’s capable and follows the game plan, which I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t, he’ll definitely be in the mix at the end,” Lassiter said. “It’s gonna come down to who’s got the fastest wheels at the end. I don’t see anyone being able to drop him before then.”

Gonzalez learned a valuable lesson at the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville. He got caught too far behind early in the race and fi nished 15th.

“That was just inexperience,” Lassiter said. “He let the race get away from him. It was narrow at the beginning and lots of runners. I take that on me, but really you can tell them ’til you’re blue in the face but they have to experience that on their own.”

Don’t expect Gonzalez to hang back Saturday.

“I’ve just got to stay up top,” Gonzalez said. “I learned. I was too far back (at the Chile Pepper). I’m not going to do that again.”

Despite just being a junior, Gonzalez is also thinking about his future by concentrating on running.

“I just think it’s going to be better for me and my family and my future,” Gonzalez said. “I have a better chance in track and fi eld.”

Gonzalez finished 11th in the mile at the Class 7A State Track Championships in the spring as a sophomore and Lassiter believes the sky is the limit this spring with a good cross country training base behind him.

“He started to realize, ‘Man, what could I have done if I had the training?’” Lassiter said. “Now he’s training like a monster, doing everything he’s supposed to. His work ethic reminds me of me when I was in high school.”

Sports, Pages 7 on 11/05/2009

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