One of the true and pleasant surprises of this season has been the ascension of Nick Rini. An unheralded freshman one year ago, he toiled in the ranks of the Frosh/Soph team. Little about his racing shouted for attention. He has always been a pleasant and quiet kid, and those qualities typified his performance as well.
Out of the gate this season, he finished 16th of King's runners at the Seaside Invite, and again, it was a typical finish for the sophomore. It was about where one would have expected him to be. But something has changed in Nick of late and that something is producing remarkable results.
At the second meet of the year, Mt. Carmel, he ran like someone else, ultimately writing his PR on the course some two minutes faster than he had run it a year ago. He was the 9th man for King that day, knocking on the door of varsity. Still quiet and a bit in the shadows at practice, his presence was noticed in the morning runs ... first in the required AM workout a week ago, (where he truly rolled) and then this week in the optional AM runs, he was there! A week ago he was right at the front of the JV race in the inaugural Big 8 meet.
This Saturday he dons the varsity jersey for the first time ever. Watch out, Rini's rising!
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