Olivia Prickett is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Liberty High School for AZPreps365.com

From one record-breaking feat to the next, Henry “Hank” Dilworth is not only setting the standard for Liberty cross-country—he’s elevating the Liberty athletics program to new heights. 

Dilworth, a senior at Liberty High School, excels in not just the 5k in cross-country but also runs the 3200m and 1600m in track. In his final year racing for the Lions, the mark he has left has been nothing short of impressive. 

“It’s been kind of a dream come true [to coach Henry this season],” cross-country Head Coach David Ostrus said. “It’s something that not a lot of coaches really get the opportunity to do but it’s been a really fun experience to see his growth.”  

Training for the season and each race demands a lot of hard work. By gradually increasing his mileage to avoid injuries and emphasizing strength through incline training over the summer, Dilworth has come into this season highly trained and ready for competition.

“Hank’s accomplishments this year and last year are a result of the training program that he does year-round and the overall standard that has been set by coach Ostrus in the Boys Cross Country program,” said Liberty’s Athletic Director Eric Gardner. 

And for Dilworth, the hard work has proven to pay off. 

His record-setting performances

Starting the season with an exceptional performance, Dilworth finished his first race at the NoPo Invitational with a state-leading time of 15:00.5, breaking Liberty’s previous school record by an impressive 15 seconds. 

“It always feels really good to beat your own record,” Dilworth said. “But it’s even better when it’s the school record.”

Little did he know that he would return to the track weeks later to surpass his previous record in his first race. 

On the evening of Friday, Sept. 27, Dilworth set a new school record of 14:54.5 at the 18th Annual Desert Twilight Cross Country Meet, which hosted more than 280 high school teams from across the country.

Competing in one of the state’s largest cross-country meets of the season is not an easy feat, especially up against 6,000 other athletes, but Dilworth came into this meet with a top-dog advantage. 

After his performance at Desert Twilight last year, placing 11th overall, Dilworth expressed in an interview with the Arizona Republic that his ultimate goal was to finish top ten and hit around 14 and a half minutes this year. 

“During the race, I really wanted to go under 15 so I kind of told myself I have to stick with this and push through it,” Dilworth said. “Towards the end of the race, I was just focusing on holding on as long as possible because my legs started to get really tired and it was getting harder to push.” 

Dilworth crossed the finish line with a new school and personal record, and he couldn’t have done it without a positive mindset and self-motivation. 

“I’m not necessarily focused on being the winner,” Dilworth said. “I just want to improve and become better and better.” 

What the future holds

Dilworth holds a talent that can send him to the next level. 

“I really want to compete in college,” Dilworth said. “One of my main goals is to continue the cycle of improvement and just run with a really great program.” 

But before he starts racing at the college level, he has a few more plans during his senior season that will mark major milestones in his career—winning state and qualifying for the Nike Cross Nationals, a “premium, challenging championship venue” that awards a winner with the prize of a Winged Goddess of Victory statue, according to RunnerSpace.com. 

“We are hoping to win our sectional meet again for the third year in a row,” Ostrus said. “But the ultimate goal for Hank is to win state and he would love to qualify for Nike Cross Nationals which I think he has a pretty legit shot for this year.” 

Given Dilworth’s exceptional ability to constantly deliver record-breaking performances and his perseverance while racing for the Liberty Lions, he holds a bright future and will leave a legacy on the prestigious athletics at Liberty High School. 

His success and accomplishments will be celebrated at one of Liberty’s school assemblies that are held four times a year.