TRENTON SHUTTERS

NEW YORK — Trenton Shutters received his diploma late last month, but he isn’t done taking center stage.

Competing at the USATF Youth Nationals at Randall’s Island Park Alliance last Friday, the Southwestern Central School graduate finished second in the 800 meters, posting a time of 1:56.81, second to Dylan DeCambre’s 1:55.67, in the Boys 17-18 Division.

“I think things went pretty well, especially considering the extremely hot temperature,” he said Monday afternoon. “It was cooking. It was 92 when I checked in.”

Shutters’ performance capped what has been an amazing 2022 for the 18-year-old.

Consider:

¯ He placed second in the 800 meters (1:59.51) at USA Track & Field Youth Indoor Nationals at the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Facilities in Staten Island in March.

¯ He won the 800 meters at the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Championships at Bill Race Field on the campus of Falconer Central School in May, posting a winning time of 1:57.27 to just hold off Randolph’s Roan Kelly (1:57.52).

¯ At the Section VI state qualifier in June, he ran a 1:55.09 to earn a trip to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships where he ended up placing fifth in Division 2 in 1:56.70.

¯ He and teammates Ethan Luce, Nate Lewis and Donavin Brown placed third at states in the 3,200-meter relay (8:10.15).

¯ He won the 800 meters at the Olean Invitational; set the meet record in the same event at the Section VI Class C Championships with a time of 1:56.18; and won the 1,600 meters and the 800 meters, and anchored the winning 3,200-meter relay at Super 8 Meet in Salamanca.

¯ He placed third at Section VI Championships in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:37.46.

¯ Oh, and did we mention, he can sing, too? Shutters was the winner earlier this spring of “Chautauqua’s Got Talent” for his vocal abilities.

Shutters’ prowess on the track and his passion for the arts will take him to Youngstown State University in the fall where he will be a preferred walk-on on the track & field team while majoring in political science and music, with an emphasis on music technology.

Before that, the son of Don and Renee Shutters will make a trip to the USATF Junior Olympic qualifier at Slippery Rock University this Saturday.

He will compete in the 400 meters.

Stay tuned.