Chesney Peterson, a recent graduate and valedictorian of Stanton County High in Kansas and a Tennessee signee, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to reflect on one of the most impressive prep careers in state history. Peterson has already moved to Knoxville to take summer classes and begin training under Volunteers coach Sean Carlson. She is a 14-time state champion, including 11 track titles, and won 66 of 67 individual track races the past three years, including all 20 this spring. Peterson concluded her Stanton County career winning 76 consecutive races, including cross country and track. She achieved personal-best performances of 2:10.64 in the 800 meters, 4:50.13 in the 1,600 and 10:27.99 in the 3,200. Peterson won Class 2A championships in all three events this season after capturing titles in the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200 as a junior. She reflects on battling iron deficiency during her freshman cross country season in 2019 and finishing 41st at the state final, and how that humbling experience was a catalyst for her remarkable success for the rest of her prep career. Peterson explains why Tennessee and coach Carlson was the right fit for her in the next chapter of her running career and how much she is looking forward to being challenged in training and races, and being able to work with teammates to build a successful cross country lineup in the fall. She shares how important it was for her to learn the value of selflessness and placing the team goals ahead of her own in high school, and why Peterson always found it more meaningful to train than to pursue regional or national competitions after racing at the state meet. Peterson examines the balance, organization and time management she learned as not only an elite athlete, but a member of student council and an honors student. She expresses gratitude to her family, coaches, administrators, teammates and friends, along with the entire community of Johnson City, for their support throughout her career, and how empowering it is to represent them. Peterson also speaks about how significant it is to be recognized among the top girls distance runners in state history, including recent NCAA All-Americans Emily Venters of Utah, a Free State High graduate, along with Iowa State's Cailie Logue, a former Girard High standout, as well as Division 1 finalist Molly Born of Oklahoma State, who attended Shawnee Mission Northwest.