Charlie Miller Lake City Year: Sophomore Sport: Cross Country

Charlie Miller originally turned out for cross country last year as cross training for his favorite passion - mountain biking. But he enjoyed some success last year, earning a trip to state as Lake City’s alternate.

“Now I want to be as successful in cross country and track as I can,” said Miller, who captured the A-1 Region I individual title last weekend in a time of 17 minutes, 24 seconds.

Miller has emerged as the fastest runner out of a balanced pack of Timberwolves who easily repeated as regional champions.

Miller reminds coach Donna Messenger of Bryce Knight, LC’s long-distance ace who graduated last year.

“He looked up to Bryce a lot,” Messenger said. Said Miller: “I’d like to be as good as Bryce was.”

As a sophomore, Miller is getting an earlier start.

“By midseason he was really starting to show his potential,” Messenger said. “He’s already running better in cross country than Bryce; he’s ahead of where Bryce was.”

The regional title was his first victory.

Last summer, Miller cycled to a second in the Junior Beginner class of the WIM (Washington-Idaho-Montana) Series. He competed in 10 races from spring through early September.

He’ll compete for a third year next summer, moving up a class to Junior Sport - the highest division for his age.

Miller said mountain biking will be a lifelong activity.

“You can race until you’re 60 years old,” Miller said.

He hopes to continue to improve in cross country and track. He has a simple goal going into the state meet Saturday at Farragut State Park.

“I just want to have fun and try my hardest,” Miller said. He doesn’t think he’s any better than the other six runners on the team: Jason Clifford, Chris Costello, Max and Nick Schmidt, Mike Keith and Josh Johnson.

“We’re all the same because we work as a pack,” Miller said. “Without them pushing me I wouldn’t be doing as well.”

The future is bright at LC. Five of the top six T-Wolves return next year, and LC’s junior varsity swept the top five places at its regional.

Messenger is hoping for a top-five finish by the T-Wolves at state. And she’s sure Miller will be leading the pack.

“I expect Charlie to come out and run like it’s any other race,” Messenger said. “He doesn’t get upset about race situations. He just goes out and runs.”

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