BELLEVUE — As Bishard Baker sprinted toward the finish line, someone shouted, "Get 'em, Budda! Get 'em, Budda!"
After winning the 100 meters at a recent track meet, Bellevue's sophomore standout jogged over to compete in the long jump.
"Let's go, Budda!" someone else shouted as Baker won his second event.
Wherever Baker went on the track, shouts of "Budda" followed. He has been going by his childhood moniker for so long, it is the only name most people know.
While some might not know Bishard, everyone knows Budda.
After developing into one of Bellevue's top two-way football players in the fall and putting up marks that rank him among the state's top track and field athletes, Baker has set a lofty standard — catching the attention of Division I coaches.
"If you're not a college recruiting him, you're missing out, because he's the real deal," said Wolverines junior Myles Jack, another touted football prospect and Baker's teammate in both sports. "He's doubling what I'm doing. He's way faster than I was, way stronger than I was. He does it all. He's the full package."
Read more of the story by Mason Kelly, Seattle Times.
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