Sports

Mineola Runner Places at 2013 Nationals

Fred Lang reflects on time as one of the best runners in Mineola High School history.

The following article was posted by Geoffrey Walter. It was written by Zachary Englis.

For Fred Lang, it doesn’t seem like the race will end anytime soon, even after his high school graduation.

The Mineola senior will end his high school career as one of the best and most decorated cross country and track and field athletes in school history, but his athletic life wasn’t always about running; he played other sports up until high school, but cites his teammates, friends and coaches for persuading him to literally stay on track.

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“I always thought I would excel at running,” he said, adding that being on the track “means home, whenever I’m there I feel at home with teammates and friends.”

As a freshman Lang was all-division in cross country as well as all-county in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in spring track and field.

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His sophomore year Lang achieved all-division, all-conference, all-class county and made a trip to states during cross country season. During the winter track and field season he was all-Conference in the mile and during the spring track and field season he was all-division in the 4x800 meter relay as well as repeating his county title in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, making a trip to the state meet as well.

Junior year saw much of the same and more as he earned all-division and all-conference honors in cross country, was All-Conference and champion of the 3,200 meter, 1,600 meter and 1,000 meter races, qualifying for states in the latter. During the spring track and field season he was all-division in the 400 intermediate hurdles, 800 meter and champions of the 4x800 meter relay. He was also all-county in the 800 meter and 3,000 meter steeplechase once again.

In his final year as a Mineola runner, Lang was all-division, all-conference (conference champion), all-class county, all-county and qualified for states in cross country. During the winter season, Lang was all-conference in the 3,200 meter, 600 meter (conference champion) and 4x800 meter relay champions, as well as being county champions in the 4x800 meter relay. During the spring season, he was all-division in the 400 intermediate hurdles, 800 meter champion, 4x800 meter relay champions. He went on to be the county champion in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and 4x800 meter relay.

Lang doesn’t let the personal accomplishments overshadow his ability to lead his teams as captain and to represent Mineola the way his previous leaders have done. He was a member of the 2010 Class A County Championship team during the spring track and field season, as well as a member of the 2011-2012 Conference VI Championship team during the winter track and field season. Both were team titles that Mineola had yet to achieve since the 1970s.

Following the county meet, and possibly a trip to states, the season is generally over for Mineola spring track and field. However, Lang revisited states for the 4x800 meter relay and the steeplechase, earning an all-state title by coming in fith overall in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.

Yet, still his season didn’t end. Lang went further with a trip to the 2013 New Balance National Outdoor meet at the Aggie Stadium of North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC. Lang was the first Mineola runner to compete at the meet, being ranked No. 33 in the race, but came in at 15th in the nation for the 2,000 meter steeplechase with an official time of 6:13, capping his high school career.

Lang will be running at Mount Olive College where he hopes to become a professional in the health care industry.

“I feel I brought the program to heights where it has never been,” Lang said. “It’s been a pleasure running at Mineola High School, the old-fashioned red uniforms, it’s really hard to say goodbye.”


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