Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/133261
The FREEMAN SPORTS JUNE 2013 Inside SECTION B Central girls, East boys win GMC titles.......4B Fast friendship for East's Johnson, Daniels Runners key figures in state championships By Daniel Mike Freeman Staff BROOKFIELD – Trenton Daniels and Brad Johnson developed a great friendship on the basketball court. The two met at freshman orientation at Brookfield East High School and talked some in the hallways. Daniels, a soccer player in the fall, and Johnson, who ran cross country, began to bond during the basketball season their first year at East. "That's when I really got to know him," Daniels said of Johnson. But it's on the track where their friendship has grown the most. Both decided to run track as freshmen, and since then they've been pushing and helping each other. "Brad played basketball with me over the winter and convinced me to run track, too. I have to thank him for that," Daniels said. "Since then, it's been really good times." Both run the 400 and 800 meters, and they've been key figures in East's back-to-back state titles in 2011 and 2012. "Those guys are versatile, and we can use them to what their strengths are," East coach Mike Steiner said. "They're very similar. If I lined them up and ran a 100-meter dash, they'd probably tie. "Most people would give anything to have one guy like that – and we have two." The senior leaders at East sure started on a high note. Daniels and Johnson teamed with juniors Ryan Dundun and Steven Browne to run the 4x800 relay in eight minutes in the Spartans' first meet of the season. The time qualified the quartet for the Penn Relays, which they ran this Freeman file photo Brookfield East's Trenton Daniels ran fourth in the 400-meter dash at last year's WIAA Division 1 state track and field meet. Freeman file photo Brookfield East's Trenton Daniels, left, and Brad Johnson led the Spartans to the WIAA Division 1 state title last season. year. East's 4x800 team ran the small schools preliminary race in 7:57.63 to finish fourth in its heat. The time did not qualify the Spartans for the finals. Running in the prestigious meet was an honor for Johnson and Daniels. "It's an amazing feeling," Johnson said. "We've been looking forward to it since last year when we talked about making a push toward it. It's been a huge focus for us." Johnson and Daniels played a large role in East's state titles in 2011 and 2012. Johnson won the 800 at last year's state meet, and Daniels ran fourth in the 400. They were part of East's thirdplace 4x800 relay and fifth-place 4x400 relay teams. The 4x400 race was run twice because of a disqualification in the first running. Preparation has not be an issue for Daniels or Johnson – especially because they have each other. While they have become close friends, Daniels and Johnson may be each other's No. 1 nemesis as well. "We're pretty good friends, but on the track we're competitors," Daniels said. "We push each other during practice, and that's made us better in our four years together. "We're really friendly off the track, but really competitive when we're on there." East has had several strong athletes help win two state titles, but Johnson and Daniels are two rare athletes in the middle distances. "Having Trenton as a teammate is amazing," Johnson said. "I'm fortunate to have a guy like that to push me. We've had that connection since freshman year. "It's extremely rare. I don't know if there's ever been teammates that fast in the history of the state. I'm so lucky to have him there. To have a guy like that to work with is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You don't find those in high school. There aren't many teammates like that." Their friendship will carry over to the University of Minnesota, where both will run track next season. They didn't plan on attending the same school, but Johnson and Daniels found themselves moving toward that direction. "We're both really excited about it," Johnson said. "We get along together, and we both just really want to see what the future holds." Johnson and Daniels said they will likely be rooming together at Minnesota, and they're excited to have each other for motivation for at least another four years. "We thought it would be great if we went to the same college, but we were both getting recruited by different schools, too," Daniels said. "We came to a mutual decision to go to Minnesota. "It's going to be exciting to run with him some more. It will probably be more intense. All the practices and meets will be a ton more intense. "It's great to have a guy you know for sure going to the same college." 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