CNE’s Northrup third in DII 3200-meter run

Summit Northrup only had two seasons as a member of Clermont Northeastern High School’s track team, but he certainly made the most of them.

Northrup wrapped up his stellar career as a Rocket with a third-place finish in the Division II 3200-meter run on Saturday, June 4 at Jesse Owens Stadium. That finish is the highest by any CNE track athlete since April Carver took third in the shot put for the Lady Rockets in 1998.

“It feels good,” Northrup said. “Lot of hard work that’s finally paid off. It’s nice to race out here against great competition.”

Northrup sat fifth after the first lap. By the end of the second, he had dropped down to ninth. Staying in the pack was part of the plan for a little while.

“I wanted to catch on to that front pack and hang on as long as possible,” Northrup said. “I wish I was a little further up, I feel like I got stuck in the back a little bit but I did well at the end.”

Two laps later, Northrup moved up to sixth place. After another lap in sixth, he moved up two spots to fifth heading into the final 400 meters.

Northrup sat as high as second during that lap, but Bryan’s Joshuah Taylor was able to track him down and take that spot before the finish line.

The final time of 9:17.73 was a school record.

As a freshman, Northrup was a member of a 19-6 Clermont Northeastern baseball team that won a league title. His spring campaign sophomore year was canceled due to the pandemic, giving him two seasons on CNE’s track team.

“I was glad he came out,” CNE head coach Liz Benjamin said. “I knew he was capable. We went to regionals last year, he tried to double in the mile and the two and was kind of torn on that. This year, he said he was going to focus on the two mile.”

Northrup won the district and regional titles for the Rockets this past year. Each of those races posed different challenges.

“He was talking about how when he runs with people with better pace, he thought he would be able to PR today,” Benjamin said. “At districts, he was out running by himself and was going for that district record. At regionals, he was pacing with the guy from Bryan and he said it was easier. He was anticipating a PR today.”

During his two seasons on CNE’s track team, Northrup has twice earned first-team all-conference nods. He was the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference National Division runner of the year this season.

“He’s had a great career,’ Benjamin said. “He’s a wonderful kid, I’m gonna miss him. The program is going to miss him.”

With his high school career now officially over, Northrup offered up some advice for athletes that could be applicable to any sport.

“If you put in the work, it’ll pay off,” Northrup said. “You’ll have fun. It’s more fun to come up here, a completely different atmosphere up here. It makes the whole year worth it.”