From the moment he joined the Norwich varsity track and field team as an eighth-grader, senior Steven Spittler immediately became the Tornado’s best distance runner.

He has progressed steadily over the past five years dropping his times in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races. Just last fall, Spittler reached the pinnacle of his cross country career when he became the first Norwich cross country runner to qualify for the state meet in nearly two decades.

Spittler, too, is reaching the apex of his final spring track and field season after winning back-to-back top male track performer awards at the REK Invitational hosted by Norwich two weeks ago, then matching that feat a week ago at the Sherburne-Earlville Invitational.

The Tornado harrier earned his awards running completely separate events. He focused on the middle distance events at Norwich taking the 400- and 800-meter races, while also running the anchor on two first-place relays. At Sherburne-Earlville, he returned to his staple events, the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races winning each with relative ease.