Mead Mania – How about an X-Country state title where the top 3 finishers are your riders? – Part 3
The key to Pat Tyson’s practice routine, as well as that of Steve Prefontaine and the University of Oregon, was training twice a day, a steady run in the morning and a targeted workout in the afternoon.
The spillover effect of Tyson’s personality, approachability, and passion for running positively influenced the runners at Mead and drew students to the program who otherwise would never have been involved in athletics.
Students who could have played other sports as well just to be on the bench entered Tyson’s program because they could compete rather than watch their teammates win.
Tyson’s philosophy and system became contagious in the Greater Spokane League. A league that he had done well spawned other teams that won state titles when Mead hadn’t.
To show just how dominant 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 his sixth straight title under the reign of Pat Tyson.
The distance was 5000 meters (3.1 miles) and the only question on my mind was whether Matt Davis (Mead’s top runner) would break 14 minutes to win the title. He wouldn’t, he won in 14:09.3 (a 4:34 mile pace), but he set a field record in the process and won his third straight state cross country title.
Standing near the finish line, I watched the Mead Panthers in their blue and gold jerseys make a statement like I’ve never seen before 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 eighth in 15:13.9 and Skiy De Tray finished 28th in 15:43.
The Mead runners in blue and gold passed 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 riders whose teams did not qualify ran alongside riders whose teams qualified, so riders who finished before riders from the qualifying team were eliminated for scoring purposes.
I have no idea to this day what the actual finish was, but it had to have been 11 fewer points than the 1-2-3-8-28 finish Mead recorded.
Matt Davis was one of the best middle distance running backs 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.
At the state track championships as a senior, Matt Davis would successfully defend his 3200-meter state title in 9:04.37, one day after defending his 1600-meter state title in 4:10.77, giving him 4 state titles. on track.
For the record, Matt Davis as a junior won the 3200 in 9:12.57 and the 1600 in 4:15.42.
At the 1993 state track meet, I timed Matt Davis’s splits 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 71st split. He punished his competitors with a strong and controlled finish of 69, 67, 65.
(Editor’s note: This is part 3 of a 4-part series on the success of Mead High School.)
Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
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