Male Athlete Of The Year Gerald Harris, Kent-Meridian High School - - Skeptics Provide Harris Motivation To Taste Success

KENT - Gerald Harris has a history of making believers out of skeptics.

Going into the 1994 football season, few people considered him a Division I prospect as a wide receiver. But Harris proved himself by rewriting the Kent-Meridian record book and landing one of the precious few scholarships offered by the University of Washington.

After a slow start in track because of a leg injury, Harris answered his critics by placing third in the 300 intermediate hurdles and fourth in the 110 high hurdles at the Class AAA state meet last weekend. In between, he surprised the prep basketball wizards by landing on the all-tournament team at the prestigious Orange County Holiday Classic in Southern California.

But it was Harris who needed convincing this week when he was told he had been named The Seattle Times Male Prep Athlete of the Year for the South zone, which encompasses more than 30 high schools in South King County. Classmate and close friend Benishe Dillard, the Female Prep Athlete of the Year, delivered the news Wednesday. Harris didn't believe her.

"I thought she was lying," he said.

But Harris' coaches believe he deserves the honor.

"He's a great choice," said Mike Albrecht, K-M basketball coach. "He was a fun kid to work with, a kid you'd want on your team every year, and that's the best you can say."

Harris (6 feet 1, 175 pounds) also is a kid who stayed out of trouble. While two of the school's other top athletes were suspended from their spring sports for violating the district's athletic code, Harris and his group of friends steered clear of alcohol.

"The way I see it, it's like steroids," Harris said. "If I'm going to make it and do something good, I'll feel better about it if I'm clean. I don't have all the talent in the world. I need as much advantage as I can get. Doing that stuff would only slow me down."

Harris' speed is one of his biggest assets. He developed into a great one-on-one receiver this year, catching 37 passes for 882 yards and 12 touchdowns, all K-M records. He also finished with career marks in those categories with 54 catches for 1,243 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Few people saw him coming. As a sophomore, Harris caught just one pass - for a touchdown. He had 16 catches for 349 yards and five touchdowns his junior season. Harris hungered for more and went to Coach Bruce Rick to plead his case.

"I knew what I could do," Harris said. "I had to do something to let the coaches know. All we did was run the ball. I couldn't handle it any more. I went to Coach Rick and asked him, `How far do you think I could go (in football)?' He said, `I think you can go anywhere you want. It just depends on how hard you work.' I was working hard. I just had to show him I was serious and let him know I wanted to excel and do whatever I could do to make the team better and make myself better."

With the help of quarterback Chris Samms, a strong-armed sophomore, Harris surprised even himself. He was selected to the All-South Puget Sound League North Division first team at both receiver and defensive back. Harris made the Star Times team on offense and the all-state team on defense.

"He proved a lot of people wrong," said teammate Isaiah Abram.

Basketball was third on Harris' sports priority list - he didn't start playing it until the ninth grade. But he became a starter as a senior and contributed seven points and five rebounds per game. He had an outstanding tournament at the Orange County Holiday Classic, which K-M won.

The state track and field meet last weekend was the capper for Harris.

"I ended my high-school career pretty good," he said. "I had a lot of fun."

Gerald is the oldest of Lorraine Harris' two sons. She has raised them on her own for most of their lives. Gerald said he has occasional contact with his father, who lives in California and plans to attend Gerald's graduation. He is very close with his mom and grandparents.

"Whenever we had quiet time before football games, I'd say, `I've got to do this for my mom and my grandparents,' " said Harris, who enjoys dancing at area clubs in his spare time. "That's really a driving force I have. My mom has sacrificed a lot for me and my brother, to give us the best. I just want to be able to repay her."

Earning a college scholarship was a big step in that direction. Harris looks forward to making a name for himself with the Huskies, although he realizes he still has many skeptics.

"I've read some things in the newspapers and magazines," he said. "I guess for a lot of people, I have to let them know I'm for real. But that just motivates me more. That's all it does."

Male athletes of the year

The Seattle Times selects female and male high-school athletes of the year in each circulation area at the end of each school year. Today, the male athletes of the year.

South: Gerald Harris, senior, Kent-Meridian High School, football, basketball, track.

City: Chris Johnson, senior, O'Dea High School, football, basketball, track.

North: Kyle Woods, junior, Marysville-Pilchuck High School, football, baseball.

East: Jacob Predmore, senior, Cedarcrest High School, football, basketball, track.

---------------------------------------------------. Gerald Harris / bio.

High school: Kent-Meridian.

Sports: Football, basketball and track.

Year: Senior.

Honors/highlights: Set school receiving records with 37 catches for 882 yards and 12 touchdowns, landing on The Star Times offensive team. Also intercepted five passes and was named to the all-state team as a defensive back. Started on the basketball team, averaging seven points and five rebounds, and was outstanding in the Orange County Holiday Classic, earning all-tournament honors. One of the state's top hurdlers, he placed third in the 300 intermediates and fourth in the 100 highs at the Class AAA meet. Also ran on Kent-Meridian's third-place 1,600 relay team.

Hobbies: Enjoys music and loves going dancing at local clubs; also sings.

Personal: Lives with his mom, Lorraine, who works at U.S. West Communications, and brother, Greg, an eighth grader.

College: University of Washington (football).