Sand Rock School Cross Country Runner Caleb Yoder Named ITG Next’s November 2024 Alabama Male Athlete of the Month
After a phenomenal month of October, Sand Rock School cross country runner Caleb Yoder is our ITG Next Alabama Male Athlete of the Month for November 2024.
To receive the honor, Yoder amassed 74.28% of the possible votes over a trio of additional finalists. Those were DAR cross country runner Bailey Kendrick, Dora football player Jayden Griffin, and Tuscaloosa Academy football player Preston Lancaster.
As for Yoder’s October performances, the Sand Rock standout competed in four different races during the month, beginning with the star-studded Jesse Owens Classic 2024 in Oakville on Oct. 5. In a race that included many of Alabama’s top high school runners from across the state, as well as some from out of state, Yoder placed No. 21 overall among boys in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 15 minutes, 48.05 seconds, which ended up being his fastest of the month.
Yoder’s next race came nearly a week later in Pisgah for the Northeast Alabama Championship, where he took home first-place honors. Yoder won the 5,000M altogether with a time of 16:54.43.
The next race for Yoder came on Oct. 19 in Anniston for the Wildcat Fall Classic, with the Sand Rock standout improving on his time from Pisgah by nearly 30 seconds. Yoder finished first overall in the meet with a time of 16:26.97, which was the only finishing time under 17 minutes.
Lastly, Yoder’s final performance came in arguably the biggest meet of the year, the Class 1A-2A Section 3 meet in Pisgah. Yoder ran away with this 5,000M as well, finishing with a time of 17:00.70, which was over a minute faster than the first-place finisher.
Congratulations to Sand Rock’s Caleb Yoder, the ITG Next Alabama November 2024 Male Athlete of the Month, on a phenomenal month.
