BY MIKE BLACKERBY
No matter the size of the stage, Calysta Garmer ran each race like it was her last.
It was a strategy that served the formidable Webb standout well during her remarkable high school career, which included back-to-back state Division II-AA individual titles and three state team championships with the Lady Spartans.
Garmer is the 2025 5Star Preps Girls Cross-Country Runner of the Year, an award she also won in 2024.
What a career.
“She has an uncommon level of ambition,” said Webb coach Dan Murray.
“A lot of people dream, but she has ambition – and ambition implies a certain amount of follow through. Calysta does everything to the highest level of achievement. The challenging thing is trying to restrain them (Calysta and her twin sister Jazzlyn).”
Murray said the Sept. 6 cross-country opener in the Cherokee Classic in Knoxville was a case in point.
“It was kind of a low-key opener and the course was soaked,” explained Murray.
“It was like running on a mattress it was so soaked, so I told Calysta and Jazzlyn to low-key it,” said Murray.
“So they went out and set a course record.”
In fact, they both destroyed the course record and left the competition far behind.
Calysta finished first on the 3.1-mile Sequoyah course, clocking in at 17:09.68. Jazzlyn was close behind at 17:10.17.
The third-place finisher was more than a minute behind the Garmer sisters at 18:17.43.
So much for “low-keying” it.
Calysta admitted that’s not really part of her vocabulary.
“Pushing hard has really helped me get to the place I’m at,” said Garmer.
“Me and my sister are both really competitive with each other and that definitely helps push us both. It’s hard not to take every race 100 percent.”
Led by the Garmer sisters and Carolina Areheart, Murray said the Lady Spartans’ seniors have set the gold standard for cross-country at Webb and beyond.
All three runners qualified for the Dec. 14 Brooks XC Championships in San Diego, marking the first time that one high school had three qualifiers for the prestigious national race.
Competing against the top runners in the country, Jazzlyn finished 14th in 17:46 and Calysta was 22nd in 18:02.1. Areheart was unable to run at Brooks due to an illness.
It was the cherry on the top of a great cross-country career for the girls and Webb.
“Talking with Carolina and Jazzlyn, it’s insane to us that it’s already our senior year,” said Garmer.
“Going into the season our goal was to leave a positive impact on the team and set an example,” she continued.
“We’re really proud of ourselves for making it this far and hopefully leaving a lasting impact on Webb. It means a lot to us to have the support system we have at Webb and have coaches who care about us.”
Murray said the three seniors established a standard for future runners and teams to shoot for.
“We shall not see their like again,” said Murray.
“You don’t see that kind of talent and character. (Future Webb runners) certainly know where the bar is set now.”