Whitefish star goes out on top as undefeated state champion runner

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

Four years of grueling work and dedication to a single goal finally paid off for Drew Coco. On Saturday, the senior Whitefish High School phenom battled windy conditions to claim the overall Class A boys state title at the all-class 2008 Montana state cross country meet at the University of Montana Golf Course.

Coco covered the hilly three-mile course in 15 minutes, 26 seconds. Although it was far from his personal best, his time was 18 seconds faster than any runner in any class that day.

Just about every news outlet in Western Montana has wanted a piece of Coco this season — and for good cause. A huge crowd cheered him on in Missoula as he broke away from the pack and ran alone, and no doubt there were hundreds of people who had never met him urging him on.

For Whitefish residents, however, Coco is a common sight.

Many people here may have noticed a solitary hooded figure running at odd hours of the day throughout the winter, spring and summer months earlier this year.

Like a ghost, he would appear in one place in town, then pop up several miles away in a seemingly impossibly short amount of time.

It was no apparition, just one of the hardest-working young athletes in town.

Coco could be seen on Sunday evenings around town, long after the sun had set, running near the high school track. While other kids his age would be watching television, socializing or doing homework, Coco would just be running. And all that hard work paid off.

He won all seven races he competed in this year, and it wasn't ever close. His main competitor was the stopwatch on his wrist. Coco was dominant, and now he's a state champion.

"It's nice ending this way," he said. "Running is different because you don't really have teammates. Not to belittle team sports, but when you win a basketball game, you win as a team. When you win a race, it's just you. It's a different high. It's definitely a one-on-one with yourself deal. You run as fast as you push yourself. It comes down to guts and how strong your mind is."

It speaks to Coco's competitiveness that he's disappointed he didn't break the state record mark of 15:03.

"It's definitely a bittersweet ending because I was definitely looking at the record," he said. "When I saw my time as I crossed the finish line, that was a little bit of a letdown, but I'm not complaining about winning the state championship."

Coco said the first half of the race was just a blur because so many people were cheering him on. He said the second half of the race was lonely, but the last 600 meters was packed.

Coco's head running coach, Bill Brist, has been impressed with him for four years.

"Drew accomplished quite a bit this season. He won his first state championship by running the fastest time of all classes," Brist said. "He's had a fantastic career, and by winning his final race, he finished his season undefeated against all levels of competition."

Coco will compete at the regional cross-country meet in Boise on Nov. 14. He hasn't finalized his future plans yet, but he knows he wants them to include running.

"I definitely like this sport," he said simply.

And he should. He's the best there is this year.