It’s been well documented that L.C. Bird High School’s boys track program has sustained success at a very high level, with the Skyhawks having won two consecutive indoor and outdoor championships.
On a deep and talented roster, coach Adam Canning highlighted rising junior Jacob Plummer. Among his other accomplishments, Plummer won a state championship in the 3200 meters this indoor season and was a member of the championship 4×800-meter relay team.
He has been chosen as the Village News boys track Athlete of the Year.
“Jacob stepped up this season and became a newcomer to the state landscape of great distance runners,” Canning said. “He made his name known.”
Being a part of two state championships this season and four team championships overall is an astounding start to a high school career. During the indoor season, Plummer placed third at state in the 1600-meter run, and during outdoor, he was the runner-up in the 3200 meters and ran on the 4×800-meter relay team that was also state runner-up.
His 1600-meter time at the Dogwood Track Classic at the University of Virginia was the best in state at 4:14.24. Plummer also finished sixth at the Bojangles Classic in South Carolina for a 3200-meter run of 9:24.44. Both times set Bird school records.
The next step for Plummer is to become a team leader, something that Canning saw the beginnings of in 2019.
“As the season progressed, he started to show more leadership qualities and took charge on a few runs,” Canning said. “Moving into the summer I see him taking the lead in leading team runs.”
Plummer has a high ceiling with two years left to compete on the high school level. More experience will help him maximize his potential.
“There was a really a learning curve early on when it came to his racing,” Canning said. “He would make a huge move, and sometimes, he’d get caught. But those bold moves taught him a lot of lessons.”
Canning said it’s hard to pinpoint just how good Plummer can be, but this top flight runner is coming back next year, and he’ll be counted on to succeed if L.C. Bird is to continue its run of excellence.
