On Tuesday, Milford’s Eli Parfitt took part in the “Meet of Champions” as a result of his fourth-place finish in the DIAA Division I State Championships. In gaining that fourth-place finish, there is one thing that should be kept in mind: Parfitt is just a sophomore. Parfitt ran a personal best of 4:31.16 in the 1600 meters. For him, that was just a warm-up.
Tuesday, Parfitt bested that by around three and a half seconds, posting a time of 4:27.61. In the processes, he set the Milford school record for the distance, formerly held by Patrick Helmick, who had a time of 4:28 back in 2010. The accomplishment is something that Parfitt is very happy with
“I had been getting faster and pushing myself harder, and to break a record that stood that long, makes me happy and humble at the same time,” Parfitt said.
When speaking with coach Skinner about Parfitt last season, he was confident that there would be big things in his future. With two more years of running left at the high school level, it is easy to believe that to be true. Asking Skinner about Parfitt this season, he was thrilled with how much he improved
“Last Fall, he was placed in the Top 20 All Time Cross Country Fastest 5k list for Milford,” Skinner said. “Now, in the spring, he comes out and sets a school record.”
None of this is an accident, Skinner shared.
“Eli is a passionate and dedicated athlete; he is goal-driven and enthusiastic,” Skinner said. “Even though he is an underclassman, he is a leader and a team captain.”
When asked about what is going on in his head when he is competing, Parfitt gave an interesting answer.
“I really try and take my mind to another place, I will be thinking about numbers, fractions, things that help me get through the pain your body feels when running a mile as you’re pushing yourself,” Parfitt said.
As all runners do, Parfitt sets goals for himself, the biggest of which would see him cracking 4:08 in his senior season. That would put him in rarefied air, as the current state record is 4:08.91, set in 2024 by Ethan Walter of Salesianum.
“I understand that it would be a tremendous accomplishment to do something like that,” Parfitt said. “It’s not out of arrogance, it’s about setting goals, and while I know this is asking a lot, why not aim high?”
When asked about how the track team did as a unit this year, Skinner was very pleased.
“This track season was a huge success with many of the athletes challenging themselves to personal goals and achieving them,” Skinner said. “This will be a great foundation to build upon moving forward.”
With school ready to end for the summer, Skinner has already turned his attention to next fall.
“We are looking forward to the upcoming Cross Country season this fall and have already begun setting individual and team goals for both the boys and girls squads,” Skinner said. “We would like to thank the leadership of the Milford School District and the community support over the years, who have helped make Milford student athletes strive on and off the field.”
