Lewis-Clark State College cross country and track coach Mike Collins has signed two distance runners from Kearns High School in Kerns, Utah to run for the Warriors, starting this fall.
Tanner Smedley and Josh Shrewbury, both all-state cross country runners at the Utah 5A classification last fall, will join a loaded cross country team when the team begins workouts on the Lewiston campus in August.
“They are close friends and this comparison crosses over into their running where they have seemed to have been side by side in almost all of their competitions,” Collins said.
Smedley has a personal best in the 5,000-kilometers of 15 minutes and 42 seconds, while Shrewbury has a personal best of 15:57. Those two times came at the Tooele Invitational where they finished second and third overall among all 5A runners. They went 1-2 at their regional qualifying race with Shrewbury claiming the top spot.
At the 5A state meet, Shrewbury finished 14th overall, while Smedley was 25th.
“Their track resumes are equally impressive and we hope to see one or both on a national qualifying 4x800 team this next year or maybe the steeplechase,” Collins said. “Both guys have been given some of the high compliments from both their head track coach (Jim Flannigan) and their distance coach (John Kernan). Most importantly, these compliments started with what outstanding young men they were of high quality and character and that they are team oriented. We are excited about all that they will bring to the program.”
Smedley has personal bests of 51.6 in the 400 meters, 1:59.00 in the 800, 4:31.8 in the 1,600, 10:04.02 in the 3,200, and 6:42 in the steeplechase. Shrewbury has personal bests of 1:57.5 in the 800, 4:29.3 in the 1,600, 9:53.77 in the 3,200, and 6:38 in the steeplechase. All of these times were posted at higher altitudes.
The two join a Warrior program that has won both Frontier Conference titles and has been a consistent participant at the NAIA national meet. Last year, the Warriors finished 22nd at nationals and they return the bulk of the squad for this season.
“We have a team this fall that is going to be very competitive nationally,” Collins said. “I have already heard from some of my guys that have started their summer training that they intend on finishing in the top 5 as a team this year. Josh and Tanner are going to make an already deep team even deeper.”
