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Twice as nice: Leon's Patrick Koon named Gatorade Florida Boys Cross Country Player of the Year for 2nd straight season

Runners from across the state compete in the Florida State Pre-State Invitational at Apalachee Regional Park on Saturday, Sep. 30, 2023.
Runners from across the state compete in the Florida State Pre-State Invitational at Apalachee Regional Park on Saturday, Sep. 30, 2023.

So good he had to do it twice.

For the second straight year, Leon cross country star Patrick Koon has been named the Gatorade Florida Boys Cross Country Player of the Year. Koon is the third athlete from Leon to win the award and the only Lion to win it back-to-back.

In his senior season, Koon once again turned heads on the cross country course. Winning his third straight 3A State Championship in November, running a 15:02.1, Koon won the Foot Locker regional race and went on to run in the Foot Locker national race, placing 15th in a race that pits the nation's best against each other.

Koon has racked up a number of honors during his preps career. This year alone he added the Gatorade Florida Player of the Year honors to his Florida Dairy Farmers Cross Country Runner of the Year recognition, his second straight selection, and his third straight All-Big Bend Runner of the Year win.

Heading to Stanford following his graduation from Leon, Koon has matched his excellence on the court in the classroom, holding a 4.7 weighted GPA.

Koon has one final season with the Lions before heading to the West Coast, looking to add another three-peat to his catalog by winning the 3200 track state title.

Koon is now under consideration for the national cross country Gatorade Player of the Year, with the Leon star finding out if he wins in February.

Patrick Koon's Cross Country honors

Florida high school athletes compete in the FHSAA cross country state championships at Apalachee Regional Park on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
Florida high school athletes compete in the FHSAA cross country state championships at Apalachee Regional Park on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

3x 3A State Champion (2021,2022,2023)

3x All-Big Bend Cross Country Runner of the Year (2021,2022,2023)

2x Florida Dairy Farmers Boys Runner of the Year (2022,2023)

2023 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships South Region winner

Nike Elite Runner

Apalachee Regional Park course record (14:50.00 @ 2022 FSU Pre-state invitational)

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Leon's Patrick Koon wins Florida Cross Country Gatorade Player of Year