NATCHEZ — Austin Green spent his entire junior and high school life at Trinity Episcopal School running in a not so mainstream sport.

Green started running cross-country as a seventh grader.

“There was a flyer going about school and I was always interested in running,” Green said.

Although new to the sport, he ran on the varsity team, finished tenth overall at the State Meet at the Choctaw Trails in Clinton, Miss. And Earned “All-State” honors in Class A of the Mississippi Private School Association.

“I found distance running was my thing,” Green said. “Sprinting takes power but to run distance you got to have guts.”

During his eighth grade year, Green finished second overall in Class A and was voted Trinity’s most valuable cross country athlete.

“I ran for fun in seventh and eighth grade,” Green said. “It became more competitive for me in the ninth.”

Green didn’t let the competition stop him as a ninth grader as he was voted Trinity’s most valuable cross country athlete and helped Trinity win the Cross Country State Class A Championship for a second straight year.

Even though he earned All-State in Class AA, his tenth grade year proved to be a bit tougher. Green developed a breathing problem due to severe allergies.

“Any distance runner knows, breathing is the most important single ingredient for a track star,” Green’s track coach Gene Willard said.

Green found it harder to compete during his junior year due to his allergies and the tougher competitors but he was still able to finish in the top five at the state meet.

“My allergies were really affecting me,” Green said. “I was taking allergy shots and breathing treatments.”

Green finished his high school career on a high note winning first overall in the State Cross Country Championship this past October.

In his six-year career, Green was named to the M.P.S.A. Cross Country Team six times and made All State four.

“Running was a way for me to relieve stress and think about things,” Green said. “It’s always been a mental challenge for me.”

Green will attend Mississippi State University this fall and major in industrial engineering.

“I’ve thought about trying out for the team there,” Green said. “But right now I want to take a break.”