Wilkins to skip senior track season

Posted Sep 21, 2009 by Bill Ward

Updated Sep 21, 2009 at 09:20 AM

All-county and all-state performer Trenor Wilkins, a Plant senior who is already missing most of the current cross country season recovering from stress fractures in both lower legs, will skip the upcoming track season in order to participate in a foreign student exchange program.

Plant coach Mike Boza said Wilkins is slated to travel to New Zealand for the exchange program.

“He just loves to travel and I think he sees this as his last chance to do that before settling down for college,” Boza said.

Boza said Wilkins recently traveled to Thailand, where he competed in a half marathon and finished second overall. Last track season, Wilkins reached the medals podium in the Class 3A championships with a sixth-place finish in the 3,200-meter run. At the 2008 state cross country finals, Wilkins earned all-state status by taking sixth in the 3A finals.

Wilkins is currently working out with the Plant swim team in order to maintain fitness in a comeback attempt this season. Earlier this month, it was discovered he had stress fractures in both tibia bones. Unable to compete in the mandatory four regular-season meets to be eligible for postseason competition, he is hoping to obtain a waiver from the Florida High School Athletics Association and return to action for the Panthers in time for the district finals.