The 6-foot, 125-pound senior won the Class 5A state meet this past season with a time of 15:58.53, breaking the tape 9.86 seconds ahead of his next-closest competitor and leading the Golden Bengals to a fifth-place finish as a team. Byrer was undefeated against in-state competition and won seven of eight races in the fall.
Byrer has maintained a 3.73 GPA in the classroom. He remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.
An avid guitar player, Byrer has volunteered locally as an elementary-school teacher's aide and as part of community beautification projects. "Austin has a tremendous kick which has allowed him to win many races which come down to the wire," said Tracy Harris, head coach of Mountain View High. "He is super-impressive in his confidence and how he handles big races."
