Darts -
At the end of every cross country season I look back and think about what made the season memorable. We have had some very special years as a Davis XC program. I think I will remember this season as a season of determination and TEAM work. We have worked extremely hard for the things we were able to accomplish. We set some pretty high TEAM goals throughout the summer and we have really stayed focused as a TEAM as we have worked for our goals. I can't say enough about how proud I am of our TEAM and the season we have had. I will also remember this season for all of the fun times we have had - summer runs, high altitude camp, the Bob Firman trip, the incredibly hard but 'fun' workouts, the parties in my classroom everyday, the games we've played, and races we've run. I have enjoyed the ups and the downs of this season - our victories and our defeats. I have enjoyed watching each of you face your individual challenges. We have seen so many improvements and accomplishments this season. I have enjoyed your company on runs, on bus rides, and in my classroom (even when I am not always the easiest person to ask questions to). We are blessed to have each other as a TEAM. We have made some great friendships - and I think we have learned a lot from one another. This is what DXC is all about - hard work, being a TEAM, having fun, and making ourselves as fast as possible. It has been a pleasure to be a part of. This is a season I will always remember with joy and satisfaction. Thank you all so much for your sacrifices, for your commitment, for your patience, for your friendship, for your trust, and for your passion for running.
State Championships - What an awesome meet to be a part of. From the racing to the cheering, we were a TEAM. It was so cool to see the sea of brown and gold running across the park to cheer on their teammates. We executed the cheering plan with perfection - and we ran with heart and determination.
All of the hard work paid off for the girls - they ran a tough race and ended up as STATE CHAMPIONS! I was so impressed with how hard the girls fought for it. Shea made a strong move just after the mile and hung on to finish as the individual champion (only the 3rd ever from Davis). She has really learned to push herself and to go after her best. Meghan ran a patient, experienced race moving up from around 12th place to finish 3rd - nearly pulling off the 1-2 finish. It is Meg's 3rd time in the top 3, and her 3rd time with a TEAM title. What an incredible cross country career she is finishing up. She has carried our TEAM and has been so tough and consistent for the past 4 years. Our pack of 5 worked very well together through the first half of the race. I liked how Madi made sure we stayed close enough, then Tessa pushed us hard through the middle, then Anni finished with a monster last 400 meters. They definitely got the job done. I have said from the start that our success will depend on our 3-7 runners. They really came through for us at the state meet. Anni had to dig deep, but she pulled out one of her tremendous finishes for 17th place. Tessa ran with a lot of courage, moving her way up through the pack in the middle to finish 20th. Joanna stayed strong through the race to really help us out as the #5 and to finish in 26th. We are so happy that she luckily moved into the Davis boundaries - she brings so much positive energy to the TEAM. Madi showed once again that she is truly a cross country runner (and not just a sprinter) with a great race to finish 32nd and beat every other team's #5. And Abby ran extremely tough even though she picked up a cold this week. In the middle of the race we were encouraging her to hang in there and finish in front of Skyline's number 5 to help us out. Abby gave her very all straight to the finish and actually pulled away from the Skyline girl. I was so proud of all the girls - not just for their races, but for what they each bring to our TEAM every day. They are all so strong and are all great examples and leaders. I thought it was extra special that we won the state title with 5 seniors running.
The boys had a goal to be the best Davis TEAM in history. To do so, we had to beat the 2002 team who ran 81:31 for the top 5. That team won the state title by 40 points. We ran a TEAM record team time of 81:07 - the 7th best time in the history of the course (since 1998). Coming in 2nd place to an American Fork team that is most likely the best team in the state's history is nothing to be disappointed in. I like how we were focused on doing our best - and that we went out and gave our all. I know that we can run even better - and that we are going to run even better in 4 weeks, but I am extremely proud of how far we have come over the past 5 months. We have great seniors leading us on both varsity and JV, and we have a solid group of young runners who are learning how to push themselves and run as a TEAM. The past few years have set us up, the current TEAM is raising the bar, and the future continues to look bright. Austin Neuner put himself right in the lead pack, and had to really kick to go from 11th to 9th in the final 50 meters and get an all-state spot (to go along with his academic all-state). Neuner's time was the 4th best ever from Davis. Brayden Cromar had another monster finish to move all the way up to 12th and finish as the top sophomore in 5A and the top sophomore in our team's history. Joe White and Brad Nye moved well together in the middle of the race. From the half way point to the finish, they were not passed by a single runner. They were determined to redeem themselves from last year - and I think they accomplished it. Joe finished strong in 15th and Brad was not far behind in 18th. Preston Johnson may not have been satisfied with his 27th place finish, but his time was the 2nd fastest sophomore time from 5A, and Preston fought hard like he has all summer and all season. Preston has taught us all what hard work can do. He is the toughest, hardest working kid I have ever coached. And I think the only kid who ran at the state meet and then came home and did a frustration workout on the track - already getting ready for the next race. Adam Mathias ran an incredible last mile to move up and finish 40th in the race. He has improved so much from the scrawny little sophomore from 2 years ago - he is now the scrawny, fast, senior I knew he could become. And Skylar Williams ran a gutsy race to finish 42nd - he was the fastest freshman from any division and the fastest freshman to ever run at state for Davis. All 7 of our boys finished in the top 10 finishers from our region. I can't tell you how much I love these boys and what they stand for. They are champions in every sense of the word.
Girls Results
Shea Martinez - 18:45 - 1st
Meghan Hedquist - 19:08 - 3rd
Anni Andersen - 19:49 - 17th
Tessa Brown - 19:55 - 20th
Joanna Boyd - 20:12 - 26th
Madi Holt - 20:22 - 32nd
Abby Frodsham - 20:38 - 41st
Team Scores
1. Davis 58
2. Skyline 86
3. American Fork 110
4. Alta 112
5. Bingham 169
6. Lone Peak 176
7. Herriman 193
8. Viewmont 203
Boys Results
Austin Neuner - 15:53 - 9th
Brayden Cromar - 16:02 - 12th
Joe White - 16:13 - 15th
Brad Nye - 16:21 - 18th
Preston Johnson - 16:36 - 27th
Adam Mathias - 16:40 - 31st
Skylar Williams - 16:42 - 33rd
Team Scores
1. American Fork 21
2. Davis 75
3. Bingham 158
4. Pleasant Grove 169
5. Lone Peak 212
6. Weber 216
7. Riverton 235
8. Hillcrest 239
The girls finish the season as STATE CHAMPS, Region Champs, and District Champs. The JV Girls went undefeated. The boys finish as STATE RUNNER-UP, Region Champs, and District Champs and have proven themselves as the best ever Davis TEAM with team time records at all 3 championships. The JV boys also finish the season undefeated. Based on our region results, I think the JV boys would have had a shot at top 5 in the state.
What's Next?
Tomorrow (Friday) - TEAM Pictures and uniform turn in (even though it is probably too late once you finally read this).
Saturday - Get in an easy long run on your own (anywhere from 5 to 10 miles) - enjoy it - October is the BEST time of year for morning runs.
Monday - NXN Training begins - be in my classroom after school at 2:45. If you want to go to Nike with us, you have to be 100% committed over the next 4 weeks. If we are going to have a shot at qualifying, and if you want to have a shot at a PR on a fast course, we are going to have to really work for it for 3 weeks - and then be perfectly ready the week of the race. I really believe both TEAMs have a shot at Portland (Nationals) - but it is going to take perfect preparation and a continued commitment to being our best. We will also have to continue to come together as a TEAM. I should have the workout schedule ready to give you by tomorrow (Friday). Let's really get after it!
Thursday, November 4 - TEAM BANQUET - place and time TBA.
Thursday - Sunday, November 18-21 - NIKE Regionals - Mesa, AZ.
Thanks again for a tremendous season - I am honored to be your coach.
Coach Talley
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