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A 1987 graduate of Centralia
High School, West received All-State honors
in both Cross Country and Track his Senior
year and was also voted the school’s Most
Outstanding Male Athlete.
As a Cross Country runner in 1986, he was
individual champion at the prestigious
Peoria Invitational meet as he led the
Orphans to a third place finish. West was
also South Seven Conference champion leading
his team to the title.
In IHSA Class AA regional and sectional
action, he placed first and second
respectively as the team was also first and
second respectively. At the IHSA State meet,
West finished eighth individually leading
the team to a seventh place finish. He was
voted CHS Outstanding Cross Country Runner
for 1985 and 1986. He qualified for the 1986
Athletic Congress National Cross Country
meet at the University of California at
Irvine. There he finished 39th of 300 in his
age group. In his final CHS home meet, he
set the three-mile course record of 15:21.
At the 1987 IHSA Class AA state track meet,
West placed sixth in the 3200m in 9:13.69.
Leading up to this accomplishment, he placed
second in the Sectional in 1985 (9:49.3) and
first in both 1986 (9:28.91) and 1987
(9:24.3). He was also second in the
1987 Sectional 1600m in 4:21.8.
West was a part of the first place four-mile
relay teams at the Orphan Relays in both
1986 and 1987 (18:36.7), and the distance
medley first place relay team in 1987.
In South Seven Conference track he was 3200m
champion three times: 1985 (9:43.77), 1986
(9:21.97), and 1987 (9:22.00). He was also
second in the 1600m in 1987 (4:25.06).
After high school, he received varsity
letters in Cross Country and Track at the
University of Alabama in 1989. In
1991-92, he was team captain and most
valuable performer at SIU-E in Cross Country
and Track receiving Sportsman of the Year
and Scholar Athlete awards. West also
received Provost and Harbert Memorial
Scholar honors at SIU-E.
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