Trevor Cosenke of John Champe is Headed To West Point


A Greater Purpose

John Champe's Trevor Cosenke enjoyed a personal-best outing at the Friday session of the 5A state track championships in Newport News. Cosenke, who entered the day with a career-best throw of just over 48 feet in the shot-put, set a new PR with a toss of 48-7.75 to qualify for the finals, and then added over another foot to his record, unloading a 49-10 effort on his final throw to place fourth in the event and make the All-State team.

While the throw wasn't long enough for Cosenke to qualify for the Emerging Elite section of the New Balance Nationals in two weeks, the Knight senior is not complaining. His future plans will be including a pair of commitments that have nothing to do with the shot-put.

Cosenke, who stands 6-3 and weighs about 215 pounds, will trade in his civilian clothes in about six weeks, as he will report to the West Point Prep School, and eventually, the United States Military Academy, on the banks of the Hudson River in West Point, New York.

Cosenke, like many other throwers, doubles as a football player in the fall. Fortunately, he is also a very good one, and as the starting tight end and outside linebacker with Jason Dawson's Champe team, helped lead the Knights to an 8-4 record wih a berth in the 5A playoffs. Since Army is strictly a four-year institution, it is harder for them to develop football players through the typical redshirting process. Hence, prep school.

"It's their way of redshirting," said Cosenke, just after his performance on Friday.

In a sense, West Point Prep is like Fork Union and other fifth-year senior schools. While some potential student-athletes need the year of prep school for academic purposes, there is hope that the incoming soldier will grow before his BEAST summer camp, which according to Cosenke, "definitely weeds out the weak.".

"My dad is 6-4 and my brother 6-5," said the thrower, implying that he might not be finished traveling upward and outward. His hope is to continue playing outside linebacker, even if his frame begins to look more like a lineman.

But Cosenke is also fueled by a sense of commitment to his country. "My grandfathers were all in the military. My Dad went to a military high school and my brother was military. It'ssomething I have always been interested in. There's something special about being part of something bigger than sports or school."

For the day, the Champe boys team placed 12th with 17 points. Along with Cosenke's five points, Alex Mina earned six more, placing third in the high jump with a leap of 6-6. And on Saturday, the Knight foursome of Pierre Karen, Max Karen, Branden Caffrey and Amon Sams earned third in the 4x100 relay, clocking 42.99.