The question has risen time and again, who is the greatest, who was the best…who set the standard of excellence for boys prep cross country teams? For the modern prep cross country team who dreams of reaching the pinnacle of prep cross country, Nike Cross Nationals Champions, it is vital to know the history, the legacy, and how you stack up.
YORK, Illinois: One of the all-time great teams, in the modern era Joe Newton’s 1999 York team, which decimated the Illinois State Championships with 24 points, must be in consideration for best all-time. Newton’s top five runners all placed in the top ten at the championships with a 14:31 3-mile average. While the state meet performance is considered best all-time the 77' Deerfield group with #2 Mark McCallister would have easily duplicated the 99' effort. Led by individual standout Donald Sage an 8:42 3200 meter runner the team was deep as the spread from 2-5 was 12-seconds. The top five were also deep, deep, deep, with a front four all under 9:15 for two-miles. 1. Donald Sage 8:42; 2. Adam Palumbo 9:12; 3. Peter Cioni 9:12; 4. Adam Roche 9:14; 5. Peter Stasiulis 9:27. Touted by experts following the state championships as possibly the best ever, a team that coach Joe Newton proclaimed his best ever and which was reported by former Milesplit National Editor Scott Bush in his piece “On the Track with the Dukes of York”, “They want to be the best; they want to be the new team to be compared to.…which is considered the best ever in Illinois history and was the number one team in the nation according to The Harrier that year.” Were they the best in Illinois state or US history? Scott Bush 99’ York Story
LARGO, Florida: The greatest program in Florida cross-country history, though Brent Haley will never accept the title the Largo "Packer's" ran through the 1983 season undefeated in epic fashion. In 1976 Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach) dominated the state destroying Largo along the way handily. However, the team was ill prepared for the state championship weather which rose above 95 degrees devastating to the Choctaw runners who were acclamated to 40-50 degree weather during the season. Ultimately, Choctaw lost the state title to Largo but to many the team composed the greatest group of prep runners on one team in state history but were unable to finish the perfect season. We honor that group. Haley mounted another assault equal in comparison to the 93' Mead program. At the 1983 Florida State Invitational, over the hilliest course in Florida the team averaged 15:28 for 5000 meters dominating 30 teams with 26 points. 1. Chris Palmer 15:03; 3. Kurt Backman 15:20; 4. Karl Moeller 15:21; 8. John Brennan 15:43; 12. Matt Farnan 15:53. Other impressive performances came at the District Championships where Largo scored a perfect 15 points with a 15:02.4 3-mile average with a 36 second 1-5 spread. 1. Chris Palmer 14:47; 2. Kurt Backman 14:47; 3. Karl Moeller 14:55; 4. Tim Marion 15:20; 5. John Brennan 15:23. A week later they would all tie for first place in the same time, 15:26 for 3-miles, another perfect 15 point victory. At the Region Championships Largo scored 17 team points with a 15:15 3-mile average. The team then dominated the state championships ending the season perfect. One of the all-time great teams and a program decades in the making led by National Cross-country Coach of the Year Brent Haley. But were they the greatest? Largo Story
MEAD, Washington: In 1993 a team out of the Greater Spokane League threw their names in the hat for greatest ever. The Pat Tyson-coached Mead Panthers dominated historically significant championship courses enroute to a Harrier National Championship. A team which still holds the Woodward Park course record for team time when they traversed the course in 76:22, or roughly 15:28 average over 5000 meters. The finished with Matt Davis 14:53, Micah Davis 15:11, Rob Aubrey 15:27, Greg James 15:42, Sky Detray 15:58. Possibly the most significant course in US history, Woodward Park stands as the standard of excellence for 5000 meters on the west coast. In a Special to the Daily News, Sean Martin quoted Dyestatcal Editor Rich Gonzales as stating, ``It is the best measuring stick…It's a much more consistent course (over the years), and all the top teams run there in top shape.” Mead would then go on to decimate the Washington State Championships with 31 team points while claiming the top three individual places and four in the top eight. Individual standout Matt Davis won in a meet record 14:09.3 over the moderately hilly course. Davis time can only be considered on par with the level of excellence of Craig Virgin's 13:50 Detweiller Park course record. The 14:09 was simply stunning as brother Micah Davis finished second in 14:46. Rob Aubrey finished 3rd in 14:48 with Greg James 6th in team scoring in 15:08. An off day by #5 Sky Detray who finished 19th in team scoring, 15:43, kept the Panther’s from possibly scoring under 20 points. What is clear is that Mead was deep, talented with a front four which was formidable. The weakness for Mead as a cross-country team was the spread from 4-5. Within the same 12-month period the times for this top five speak for themselves, all were state champions, 1. Matt Davis 4:10/9:04; 2. Micah Davis 4:07/8:58; 3. Rob Aubrey 4:11/9:07; 4. Greg James 4:10; 5. Sky Detray 4:08/8:58. Were the Panther’s the best ever? Pat Tyson Story
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