Mead Mania - How About a State X-Country Title Where the First 3 Finishers Are Your Runners - Part 3

By Ed Bagley

Key to Pat Tyson's practice routine as well as Steve Prefontaine's and the University of Oregon's was to train twice a day, a steady run the morning and a specific training workout in the afternoon.

The spillover effect of Tyson's personality, accessibility and passion for running positively influenced Mead runners and brought students into the program that may otherwise have never been involved in athletics.

Students who also might have played other sports only to ride the bench came into Tyson's program because they could compete rather than watch their teammates win.

Tyson's philosophy and system became infectious in the Greater Spokane League. A league that had done well spawned other teams that won state titles when Mead did not.

To show how dominate Mead was, I want to share with you what I saw at the 1993 state cross-country meet in Pasco (WA). It was the year that Mead won its 6th straight title under Pat Tyson's reign.

The distance was 5000 meters (3.1 miles) and the only question in my mind was would Matt Davis (Mead's top runner) break 14 minutes to win the title. He would not, winning in 14:09.3 (a 4:34 mile pace), but he set a course record in the process and won his third consecutive state cross-country title.

Standing near the finish line I saw the Mead Panthers with their blue and gold jerseys make a statement like nothing I had ever seen in state competition.

First across the line was Matt Davis, followed by his brother Micah Davis in 14:46, followed by Rob Aubrey in third at 14:48, then Greg James finished 8th in 15:13.9 and Skiy De Tray finished 28th in 15:43.

Mead runners in blue and gold streamed past in a 1-2-3-8-28 finish and won with 31 points. Mead's slowest scoring runner was 15:43! Kennewick finished as runner-up with 102 points.

In actual numbers, Mead scored 42 points but was awarded 31 in the final results as runners whose teams did not qualify ran together with runners whose teams did qualify, so those runners finishing ahead of qualifying team runners were taken out for scoring purposes.

I have no idea to this day what the actual finish was, but it had to have been 11 points less than the 1-2-3-8-28 finish Mead recorded.

Matt Davis was one of the best middle distance runners ever produced in Washington State. For the record, Davis won the state cross-country title as a sophomore in 14:48.7, as a junior in 14:39.5 and as a senior in 14:09.3.

In the state track championships as a senior, Matt Davis would successfully defend his state 3200 meter title in 9:04.37, a day after defending his state 1600 meter title in 4:10.77, giving him 4 state titles in track.

For the record, Matt Davis as a junior won the 3200 in 9:12.57 and the 1600 in 4:15.42.

In the 1993 state track meet, I clocked the splits for Matt Davis in the 3200. His 400-meter lap times were 64, 68, 70, 70, 71, 69, 67 and 65. His 800 splits were 2:12, 2:20, 2:20 and 2:12.

I could visibly see him picking up the pace after the 71 split. He punished his competitors with a strong, controlled 69, 67, 65 finish.

(Editor's Note: This is Part 3 of a 4-Part Series on Mead High School's running success.)

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

Ed Bagley is the Author of Ed Bagley's Blog which he Publishes with Original Articles on Current and Past Events with Analysis and Commentary on Movie Reviews, Sports, Lessons in Life, News and Comment, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing that are intended to Delight, Inform, Educate and Motivate You the Reader. Visit Ed at . . .
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