Page 14 - All Arkansas Preps 2020

14M Sunday, June 28, 2020 | All-Arkansas Preps | Advertising Supplement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
LUKAS PABST SENIOR / BENTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
LUKAS’
■ GPA: 4.11
■ Height 6-0
■ Weight: 150 pounds
■ All-Arkansas Preps cross-country team, 2018 and 2019
■ Gatorade State Cross Country Winner, 2019-2020
■ 15:21.9:Time to win Class 6A state championship
■ FUTURE PLANS: After graduation, Lukas
will go on a two-year mission trip for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has also been accepted to Brigham Young University in Utah, where he hopes he can walk on for the cross-country team.
>> WHY HE WON
After a season that included an injury, Bentonville High School senior Lukas Pabst bounced back to secure the individual Class 6A cross-country state championship with a personal-best time of
15 minutes, 21.9 seconds, beating every other competitor by more than 13 seconds. e team also won its third-consecutive Class 6A
title. “I’ve been kind of dreaming about that day,” Pabst said, “like
ever since I started running, just seeing my teammates work
really hard when I was young and just seeing their success.
e team victory was the best present anyone can ever give
me.” He is the All-Arkansas Preps Outstanding Player of the
Year for Boys Cross Country. Pabst started his cross-country
career in his freshman year. He had tried out for the basketball
team but didn’t make it. His mother, Stacie Pabst, is a runner,
and Lukas had run some races with her, so he decided to put
his focus on cross country. “I think what makes him a special
athlete and makes him stand out is that he has a gift for setting
meaningful goals,” Stacie said. “He puts God first and then follows
that up with things like a solid workout, eating, sleeping habits. He
works his plan until he’s achieved what he set out to do.” Bentonville
High School boys cross-country coach Michael Power agrees that
Lukas’ determination is what drives his success. “When he sets goals,
he does everything he can to achieve them,” Power said. “He’s a down-to-
earth kid. He knows that there’s other things in life apart from sports.” is season, Lukas also had a strained hamstring. Power said they made a plan for
him to recover, which included stretching and light swimming. In school, Lukas has a 4.11 GPA and enjoys math and Advanced Placement Government. Lukas is also in the Chinese Club, and outside of school, he’s an Eagle Scout and is active in his church, e Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lukas also plays cello in the school orchestra and has two businesses, mowing lawns and auto detailing.
I JUST AM SO GRATEFUL for all that hard work paying off. It feels so good.”
— Lukas Pabst, OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
SUBMITTED PHOTO
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