Cross country athlete of the year: Trabuco Hills' Sullivan

As the 2007 season began, Trabuco Hills senior Riley Sullivan was forced to confront more than just his competition.

Rated the top returning runner in the state on the defending Division I champions, Sullivan’s season was derailed early on with nagging leg injuries.

Sullivan also faced the daunting prospect of running in the accomplished footsteps of his older brother, J.T., who last season was named boys cross country athlete of the year after leading the Mustangs to the Division I state title.

Sullivan acknowledged earlier this season that the specter of his brother’s accomplishments weighed on him.

“There were times when I felt the shadow of J.T.,” he said. “It seemed that I was always thought of as the little brother.”

“The little brother” grew up fast, overcoming injury and living up to family tradition. In the process, he became the Register’s boys cross country athlete of the year.

After not running in competition until early October, Sullivan returned and quickly began to flash his enormous potential.

At the O.C. Championships, Sullivan battled the lead pack the entire race, finishing fourth overall in the course-shortened sweepstakes race. He then followed that up with a dominating effort at the Sea View League finals, which he won by 18 seconds.

He then impressively took on the challenging hills of Mt. SAC and the top runners in the Southern Section at the CIF finals. He not only emerged victorious but was one of only two runners in all five divisions to finish in faster than 15 minutes.

At the Division I state meet, Sullivan was locked in a tight duel with Chris Schwartz of Foothill High of Bakersfield over the last mile of the race, with each runner attacking the other. Though he ultimately finished one second behind Schwartz, Sullivan considered his season a successful one.

“I felt I did pretty well this season,” he said.

Contact the writer: jeichelberger@ocregister.com