This senior is 'heart' of Galesburg's boys track and field team. Meet Adrian Outlaw here...
GALESBURG — Galesburg High School boys track and field coach Craig Hillier has watched senior Adrian Outlaw run out of his shell, if you will.
Perhaps, Outlaw has just matured. Maybe, he's just become more comfortable around his teammates. Whatever it is, there's a simple fact. Outlaw has grown into a leader for the Silver Streaks.
"I'm proud of Adrian and the way he's progressed over the years," Hillier said Friday night after Galesburg finished in second place — two points behind United Township — in its own Streak ABC Invite. "In his early years, he was kind of quiet and unsure of himself. He has been an outstanding leader this year.
"I wasn't always sure if he would be a leader or not because he was kind of quiet, but he's blossomed into a leader. He's taken that role and the kids listen to him," Hillier added of Outlaw. "He's really the heart of our team."
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Outdoors this spring, Outlaw has competed individually in the 100, 200, and 400. The 18-year-old also teams with Plamedi Nseka, Amarie Richardson and Bryson Thomas to make up Galesburg’s 4x1 meter relay team. Javion Beckom along with Nseka, Outlaw and Richardson form the Streaks’ 4x4 relay team.
Last Tuesday, Outlaw joined forces with Cam Aguirre, Richardson and Thomas, and they represented Galesburg in the 4x2 meter relay in a road dual meet against Geneseo. The quartet placed first in 1:35.72.
Outlaw’s specialty is the 400. He clocked a personal best 51.41 seconds Friday evening, and he finished in second place in the ‘A’ portion of the event.
As a junior, Outlaw along with Nseka, a freshman at the time, and 2021 GHS grads Alex Buchen and Alex Harvey made up the Streaks' 4x4 relay team, and they ended up taking ninth place (3:28.84) in Class 2A and brought a medal home from the Illinois High School Association’s state meet, which always takes place at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
"It's been amazing to watch him grow from last year," Hillier said of Outlaw. "Getting down to state and winning a medal I think motivated him even more. This year, he wants the 4x4 to qualify again, and he wants to do it on his own in the open 400."
Hillier is correct about Outlaw's goals, and Outlaw has a time he's aiming for in the 400.
"I'm trying to break 50 (seconds) in the 400," Outlaw said. "The 400, it's anybody's race, honestly. It's just who wants it more at the end. You give your all the first three 100 and the last 100 is going to really show who wants it. You just have to follow through.
"I've come so close to 50 but like I said I just have to follow through on the ending. That 100 is going to be the difference," Outlaw added. "Do I want it enough?"
What's Outlaw need to improve upon?
The state qualifying standard for Class 2A in the 400 is 51.10 seconds, and what can Outlaw do to gain more speed to meet the mark?
"For him, he just has to work a little bit on form," Hillier said of Outlaw. "He hasn't ran the open 400 fresh yet this year. He's run the 4x1 and the 100 before that. Hopefully taking at least one of those races out of there will help, and he just needs to work on being a finisher."
"To get to state, it's just mentally working on my finish, trying to get a good drive, good rhythm and fight for it," Outlaw said. "That's mainly what I've got to work on.
"I've been working on my starts," he added. "It's just getting my technique down, following through and trusting myself."
Where will Outlaw continue his career?
Outlaw will continue his running career collegiately. He's just not sure where yet. Outlaw originally had plans to compete for the Lincoln College Lynx but the school announced at the end of March that it was shuttering at the end of the 2021-22 academic year after 157 years of existence.
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At the moment, Outlaw has narrowed his choices down to Monmouth College, Culver-Stockton College and Northwest Kansas Technical College.
"Right now, Monmouth is currently in the lead," Outlaw said. "I still have to visit Culver-Stockton to really know."
Matthew Wheaton can be reached at (309) 315-6073 or at mwheaton@register-mail.com. Follow him on Twitter @matthewlwheaton
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: IHSA Boys Track: Adrian Outlaw the 'heart' of Galesburg
