The school year is coming to a close for high school seniors and, as they take their final lap, our latest Scholar Athlete of the Week features a runner who’s setting the pace.

"You’re almost there. I’ll count down the miles, be like just one more mile, just to that stop sign to that telephone pole. I just keep my eyes up and focus in on where I’m supposed to be going," said Kailyn Farner, a senior at Gowanda High School.

Long distance running is a grueling sport that takes supreme physical conditioning and mental fortitude. Farner has both.

"It’s a lot of focusing on how you feel after because I know when I go out and I’ll run a good three-mile run I’ll feel so confident, like ‘wow, I just did that.’ And I feel revived," she said.

Constantly pushing herself to the finish line, Farner grew into a leader, counted on by her coaches, respected by her teammates.

"She definitely is a quiet leader, leading by example and just setting the tone for those younger athletes to look up to," said Aimee Gernatt, varsity cross country coach at Gowanda. "It was not something that she took lightly. She was very dedicated to her position."

While racking up the miles on the road, Farner also found time to participate in cheerleading during the same season.

"I’d be running three miles and then I’d be running over to cheer practice and being thrown around in the air and doing kicks and cheers," she said. "It was just constant effort."

Effort is what also allows her to succeed in the classroom and beyond. She holds down a 4.0 grade point average, is a member of National Honor Society, student council, and Students Against Destructive Decisions. Along with marching band, volunteer work and holding down a job, time management is key.

"It’s a lot of support around me really keeps me motivated, because I don’t want to let my friends and family down if I don’t keep up with the work, too," she said.

As she wraps up her final season on the softball diamond, she’s preparing to study zoology in college at SUNY Oswego, leaving high school with a sense of accomplishment.

“I’m just kind of thankful and grateful that I was able to push through all of that hard work to get where I am now. It’s so close. The finish line’s right there," she said.