All due apologies Mr. Drew Bosley of Homestead, upcoming distance running superstar, I should have gotten this item out sooner.

Because in the two short years I’ve gotten to work with you, you’ve impressed me and everyone who has seen you by succeeding over and over again on the biggest of stages.

Your talent (thanks to your Dad and event coach, Homestead Hall of Famer Andy Bosley), your will and your cool under fire belay the fact that you’ve only just finished up your sophomore year in high school.

You put all of those things on display on Friday June 2 at the WIAA State Track Meet in La Crosse, where you put the frustration of an injury-plagued first half of the season behind you and turned in a blistering second mile to come from behind and earn a sixth place medal in the 3,200 meter run.

You just couldn’t hide your exuberance afterward.

“I just wanted to get back on the podium (he was fifth in the race as a frosh last season),” he said. “Because as disappointing as the first half of the season was (held back by leg tendonitis), it doesn’t compare to the fact that I was still able to keep one of my goals.

“I’m just ecstatic to be where I am now after that stupid injury (laughs).”

Bosley turned in a final time of 9:17.82 to earn his spot. He was well back at the mile in around 4:41, but his seventh lap was clocked in 1:09 and then he took off like a rocket on his final spin around the track turning in a final 400 of 1:02.

Senior teammate Thomas Miller finished a respectable 10th in the 24-runner field in 9:34.3

“I can’t honestly say that that was exactly the plan (the super-fast last lap),” said Bosley, “but I just really wanted to get on that podium. I stayed with the process and it really paid off.”

Madison LaFollette’s Finn Gessner won the race wire-to-wire in 9:06.24.

The next day, on June 3, Bosley came back and turned in a respectable 10th place effort of 4:27.55 in the 1,600 run on an extremely hot and windy day.

Highlander sophomore Jared Schneider also got a good first taste of state, taking 14th in the long jump (21-7 1/2) and 16th in the triple jump (42-4 1/2).

Coming back to Drew Bosley, I also want to say “thank you”. You said some very kind things to me in the press pit after the 3,200 awards ceremony. They were much appreciated and won’t be forgotten soon.

At this state meet, my 27th in succession at La Crosse, I got to see to the finish line the sensational career of Whitefish Bay girls distance ace Camille Davre, my all-time girls track MVP, where she finished off things in grand fashion with dignity and class and with three final state titles attached to her extraordinary resume (see separate post).

I’m just sorry I won’t be able to do the same for you Mr. Bosley, because I have no doubt that these final two years of high school will be sensational, building on a career that already includes three state track medals and a state runner-up finish in cross country.

Your talent, coupled with your aplomb and desire to succeed will no doubt allow you to climb to the top of the state running mountain, gathering many, many more medals to your chest in the process.

And oh yes, sorry Andy, he’s destined to take down all your school records too. It’s just inevitable!

So good luck and best wishes, Mr. Bosley. Dare to be great!