Cross country: Arcadia’s Ammar Moussa is Gatorade runner of the year

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Ammar Moussa, who won his second consecutive Division I state championship this season, was named the Gatorade boys’ cross country runner of the year in California.

Moussa, a senior, ran the 5K course at Woodwood Park in Fresno in 14:43, the fastest time in any division since 2007. He also placed fourth in the 5K race at the Nike Cross Nationals in 16:16.3, helping Arcadia become the first California team to win a national cross country title.

He has a 3.18 grade point average and has verbally committed to an athletic scholarship at the University of Colorado.

‘I don’t believe there was another athlete in the country who was capable of that kind of sustained excellence, week in and week out,’ said Arcadia Coach Jim O’Brien. ‘He carved himself out a legacy...I could not be more proud of an athlete, and I’ve been coaching for over 30 years.’

--Melissa Rohlin