Judson Greer was the fastest young man on the South Region course at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, NC. His win added to his outstanding junior season that has seen him rack up win aft win.
The Melissa junior has only one blemish on his 2019 season and that came at last week's Nike South Regional where he finished second behind La Porte's Ryan Schoppe.
Last year, Greer had won his first UIL 4A state cross country championship and then took charge at the NXR South race, leading the majority of the race, but he faded in the last quarter of the race. He failed to qualify for a national race that year. From there, Greer continued to force the pace in races as he dominated the UIL 4A state 3200m, once again forcing the issue in the race and running to a solo 9:06 win.
This season, that strategy has not changed a bit as we have seen more of the same from Greer. The thing that is different, there hasn't been any fading late in the races. Greer straight up dominated his region and state meet races.
It proved to make a world of difference a year later at last week's NXR South race with his runner-up finish and NXN qualifying performance.
Melissa junior Judson Greer competes at 2019 UIL 4A State meet
At today's Foot Locker South Regional race, the pace went out fast and Greer, not having to do the pacing duties was able to be right there in the mix.
The pace was hard, just as Greer likes it with the mile split for the leaders at 4:38.4. Greer was right there in third place coming through the mile in 4:39.0. That is when the Melissa junior distance runner took over. He did what he is accustomed to doing and put his foot on the gas pedal. Greer led at the 2 mile split with at 9:40.07 (5:01 split), two seconds ahead of the nine mane chase pack that included Texans Graydon Morris and Michael Abeyta.
There would be no fading this year like in the past. One of the most physically imposing distance runners around, Greer is built to sustain and he is running like it. He drove home to the finish for the win in 14:57.4. While he didn't qualify for one national meet last year, Greer has earned his way to two of them this year and is back to his winning ways. If he gets back on a streak, that would make him a national champion.
