In a few short months, Scott Garrett will go from serving as one of Auburn High's top track athletes to taking the first step in serving his country.

After Garrett graduates in June, the senior will enroll at George Washington University and the ROTC in preparation for the Marines.

“I always wanted to do it but I wasn't sure how I was going to do it,” Garrett said.

“I can run, go to school and train. They help pay for my school so it's kind of nice.”

Garrett will run cross country for the Colonials, who also have an independent track squad.

He will attend GWU for business.

Last fall, the senior finished third in the Section III Class AA cross country meet, and barely missed the top 50 at the state meet.

Not bad for an athlete who had to give up his junior season on the track team; sidelined by a stress fracture.

He rehabbed during the summer and ran well for the Maroons in the fall, and played hockey during the winter.

“It's a little different,” Garrett said. “I have to run the way I've always run but just make sure I don't get hurt again.”

For now, Garrett is focused on the task at hand improving his 800 time as the track season comes to an end. His goal is to break two minutes and go to the state meet.

“It was a real disappointment,” said Maroon coach Bill Allan of losing Garrett last season.

“I really expected a lot out of him last year. He was running low 2s in the 800.”

Garrett has been making strides, easily winning the race in the recent Weedsport Invitational.

“We're trying to get him back up to speed,” Allan said. “It would be nice to see him go to states.”

He says Garrett puts the time in to succeed.

“He doesn't stop running,” he said. “He runs in the offseason, he lifts weights, he does all the extra things that a lot of the kids don't do. He goes the extra mile.”

Allan will have a hard time replacing his captain next spring.

“The kids follow him,” he said. “He leads all the drills.

“He's a great kid.”

Garrett is ready to take the next step, even though training with the Marines will probably be much harder than trudging threw the mud in the fall or checking on the ice in the winter.

“It will be interesting,” he said. “It will be an experience.”