By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Great Bend High School senior Diego Pasos can sleep during the winter. A dual-sport athlete, playing midfield for the Panther soccer team and running for the cross country team, Pasos recently had a weekend to remember. On Friday, Sept. 27, he was named Fall Homecoming King alongside Queen Addie Irwin. The next morning, he led the Panther cross country team at Rim Rock Farm just outside Lawrence three hours away.
"It was just so surreal," Pasos said. "I was happy. I was on Homecoming court my freshman year. Addy and I made a joke saying we'd be king and queen our senior year but we didn't actually expect it to happen."
Most of the cross country runners traveled as a team Friday because of the long drive and an early start on Saturday, especially on the girls' side. Pasos was able to enjoy his Friday evening and a big win by the Panther football team before he and his parents hit the road early the next morning.
"I had packed the night before and we headed out at four or five in the morning," he said. "I made sure to sleep the whole way there so I was rested for the run. It was just taking my warm-up seriously that morning because I knew I was out late the night before."
Despite running in his first race at the famous Rim Rock Farm, Pasos ran four seconds faster than any of his teammates to finish 125th overall in 18:36.6.
Pasos and teammates also shared success on the track this spring. Running with variations of teammates Ismael Ramirez, Tavon Stroup, Braylon Moore, and Alex Galindo, the 4x800m relay team won a Western Athletic Conference Championship, a Class 5A regional championship, and finished 10th at the state meet in Wichita to miss a medal by two placings.
