SIGNING: Princeton's Hurst to run track at UMO

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 6, 2017 11:20 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PRINCETON -- Good talent breeds success.

It's a maxim used by coaches to describe athletes who -- over time -- eventually mature and break out of their shell in a particular sport.

Brent Hurst is a perfect example.

A year ago, the Princeton High middle- and long-distance runner wasn't on a college coach's recruiting radar. But as an understudy to three of the Bulldogs' best track athletes -- Jose Moreno, Jose Aguillon and current teammate Austin Sullivan -- Hurst grasped the significance and urgency necessary to create a consistent work ethic.

"They would push him along if he ever did want to quit, I'm not saying quit the program, but quit the workout (and) he'd have three or four other guys drag him along whether he'd want to do it or not," PHS head coach Mark McLamb said.

"If you asked me a year ago if he was going to run in college, I would have said 'no.' I didn't think he was mature enough. I didn't think he was physically strong enough."

Hurst is now.

The out-spoken senior signed a national letter-of-intent to run cross country and track and field at perennial Division II national powerhouse University of Mount Olive. He'll join Sullivan and former PHS teammate Martin Bayles, who emerged as the Conference Carolinas pole vault champion one week ago.

There was another factor, too.

The similarities between McLamb and UMO head coach Matt van Lierop are uncanny. Each has a no-nonsense mentality and will do everything they can to push an athlete past their limit.

"That definitely helped," Hurst said of his decision. "I felt like I could talk to him (van Lierop). We got along and we understood each other."

But Hurst never imagined he'd see this day.

He grew up in Edgefield, S.C., a small town on the outskirts of North Augusta. The high school didn't have a football field. There no was track. There was no cross country team.

Hurst and his family moved to Princeton midway through his ninth-grade year. He missed the cross country season, but ran indoor and outdoor track.

The three sports turned into a passion.

"If I was still there, I would not be where I am now," Hurst said. "Princeton has definitely helped me become a better person inside and athletically."

Credit Sullivan.

Whenever the two headed toward the track, Sullivan always issued a challenge.

"Stay with me for as long as you can man," he'd say.

Hurst hardly wavered and continued to get better. He'd push himself during practice and go on an hour-long run each Saturday. The intention wasn't to increase speed, but stamina.

That proved true this past Wednesday during the season-ending Carolina 1-A Conference outdoor track and field championship meet.

Hurst and his teammates took first place in the 4x8 relay. He ended up second in the mile run (1,600 meters), third in the 800 and third in the two-mile run (3,200 meters).

That's five-plus miles in a three-hour span.

"He couldn't have done that two years ago physically or mentally," McLamb said. "I'm going to be as mean as I can to make them work harder, or they're going to fall to the side. He's grown a lot this last year, especially physically that's helped him to where he can go to college.

"I've given him just as much (grief) as I've given anybody probably and he's responded."

And success came Hurst's way.