Posted: 6/6/07
Conference MVP ends track career at section meet
 Josh Dahl with his conference MVP award after the track banquet. |
By Steve Morris
Six years ago Josh Dahl began competing in the Great River Conference with an unknown name. Meet after meet, year after year, distance runners began to pay attention to him as he developed a gear most distance runners can't seem to shift into.
At the conference meet May 15, Dahl rode his highest gear all day and was crowned the GRC Most Valuable Player. Head coach Mike Vaughan said it was the first time a boy received such an honor from Rush City.
"This was something he was thinking about since last year," Vaughan said. "He's been dominating the conference for years."
Conference coaches vote for who they think should be the MVP. Most times, it's the athlete who earns the most points at the meet. At the conference meet, Dahl blew away the competition, winning the mile, 800 and 400 in commanding fashion. In the mile, Vaughan said the next closest runner was nine seconds behind him.
With each race close together, Dahl didn't have much time to rest, yet still came out victorious.
"He just destroyed everybody," Vaughan said. "He's got a higher gear than most runners I have seen."
The now graduated senior will focus his running energy at the collegiate level. In the fall Dahl will attend the University of Minnesota Duluth and run cross-country and track. Vaughan said Dahl will have a tremendous career at UMD.
Despite all his track success, Dahl didn't make it to the state meet. At the section meet June 3 at McAlester College in St. Paul, he ran his best time of the year in the 800 yet failed to qualify for the state. Vaughan said he ran a smart race.
"Any other section at that time would have got him to state," Vaughan said.
His mother, Paula Dahl, couldn't be happier with what her son has accomplished on the track field.
"I am very proud ... he has worked hard and has always strived for his best," she said.
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