NAME MAKES IT BIG SKY CROSS COUNTRY DESERT CHRISTIAN SENIOR HAS STATE RECORD IN MIND.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Seventeen years ago, Wayne and Julie Johnston were eating breakfast at the International House of Pancakes in North Hollywood when the name of their new son came to them like a revelation.

``We just thought that you could see the glory of God in the sky more than anywhere else,'' Wayne Johnston said. ``Whether it's the moon or the stars that are light years away, or a storm, you see the things that God can do there.''

Now Sky Johnston, a home-schooled senior who runs for tiny Desert Christian High of Lancaster, is poised to become one of the most talked-about names in cross country this season.

After taking up running only two years ago, Johnston won the Southern Section Div. V championship last season. He then finished third in the state behind two seniors and could break the California small-school record this season.

And, for those who wonder, Johnston does like having a first name that attracts so much attention.

``When I was little, (kids) would kind of joke about it sometimes,'' Johnston said. ``It was never anything mean. ... Since I started running, there's been some good headlines because of it: `Sky's the Limit' and `Weather's Perfect for Knights' Sky.'

But the most remarkable fact about Johnston might not be his running. He has been home-schooled by his parents since first grade and is set to receive his high school diploma and an associate's degree from Antelope Valley College on consecutive days this spring.

Johnston started taking college courses at age 15 - ``most of the professors didn't know how old I was,'' he said - and carries a 3.85 grade-point average at the school. If everything goes according to plan, he will graduate from college at age 20 with an English degree, then possibly begin graduate school after that.

``I don't think home schooling is the best thing for everyone,'' Wayne Johnston said, ``but it was for us. Sky always has been so interested in learning.''

An estimated 1.7 million students nationally are home-schooled, according to a Stanford study. Johnston is educated through Desert Christian's home-school program, which allows him to run on the Knights' team. The school never has produced a state champion in any sport.

``It's worked out well for a lot of kids,'' Johnston said of home schooling. ``The Lord's given me the ability to run and allowed me to excel in that.

``But there's another girl out here who is home-schooled and just got a 1600 on her SATs. There's a lot of stories like that around the country.''

As for cross country, Johnston was a relative latecomer to the sport. He joined the Desert Christian team because a couple of friends from Valley Bible Church were on it. But it didn't take long for Johnston to make an impression.

His coach at Desert Christian, Jarod Cronk, remembers going for a run with Johnston in the nearby mountains outside Quartz Hill. A former collegiate runner himself, Cronk was in good shape but found he couldn't keep up with the then-sophomore.

At the season-opening Seaside Invitational, Johnston posted the fastest time on the team. He has been adding to his trophy collection ever since.

``He always has been the guy on the team who says, `We need to do the full workout,' '' Cronk said. ``He always has the desire to push a little bit harder and want it a little bit more.''

Added junior Kristopher Schroeder: ``He carries us a long way, but he is a good, godly person most of all. ... It's pretty amazing how well he has done. With all the work he puts in, he deserves it.''

During the summer, Johnston trained several days a week at 6 a.m. with AVC coach Mark Covert. Johnston's goal now is to break former Liberty Christian of Redding star Tim Nelson's 2000 state Div. V championship record of 15 minutes, 31 seconds.

``I think I have a good chance,'' Johnston said. ``This is my last year and I'm going to be defending my title.''

Johnston ran 16:05 last year in taking third at the state meet, and a 30-second time drop is not unprecedented. He also hopes to continue running in college, no matter how few years he attends. Already, Claremont-McKenna, UCLA and Yale have sent letters of interest.

For the meantime, around the Desert Christian program, they echo the words of former runner Tim Smith.

``It's like Tim once said,'' Cronk recalled, `` `If anyone's close to Sky, we're pretty confident that Sky is going to win.' ''

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

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Desert Christian senior Sky Johnston took up running two years ago and won a Southern Section title last year.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News