Just two months ago it was looking like Peter Smith was on the verge of becoming a big name in our sport. The performances were there last outdoor season giving off the clue that he was going to make a big step in the right direction this season.
He entered the season ranked 6th in 6A and 14th overall in the state. We predicted he could run sub 15:30, we were technically right but we really didn't give him the credit he deserved because he is a whole lot better than that. He is truly no longer "Sneaky Pete" and is the favorite for the 6A State title this weekend.
Check out Peter's Athlete Profile & Progression Chart Here
Entering the state meet Peter is on fire. He toes the line this Saturday with six victories already this season and both the Conference 2 and 6A South title to his name. The only two races he did not win were against Waleed Suliman. He has not lost to a 6A runner this year and faced many of the top athletes multiple times.
After looking over Peter's stats it is obvious that he is a special talent. He has unbelievable speed in the 800 and 1600 and it looks like with some serious training he is also a very good 5K runner as well. The crazy thing though is not a lot of people are talking about him yet.
That isn't a huge surprise because he comes from a school not known for their distance runners, he is quickly changing that this season. If he were to win the race Saturday, he would be the first Oscar Smith XC State Champion and the first athlete from that school to win a state title in anything longer than 500m.
Peter will face very tough competition this weekend. He will face a combination of kickers and fast starters. He is going to need to run a great race to come away with the state title but the ball is in his court.
His toughest competitor might be Brandon McGorty whose stride is undeniable and if it came down to a sprint to the finish it would be hard to pick against McGorty. The runner-up last year, Grant Northcutt will also be very though as he definitely knows how to maneuver the Great Meadow course. Finally he will also have David Scherrer to worry about that ran very well at regionals too.
This race will be won in the final mile and it is going to be very exciting to see what strategy Peter uses to attempt his shot at history. No matter what happens Saturday though, the secret is out, Peter Smith is the real deal.
