AEtheridge

There IS that little matter of qualifying, you know...

Isn't that a funny thing? People often don't understand the team nature of this sport, and the fact that so many things have to go right in order for a team to fire on all cylinders when it matters--like at State. I had a soccer coach tell me one time that we cross country coaches don't even have to coach--just tell the kids to go run something!

You may know my brother-in-law, David Montgomery, who still hold the OR records for 3mi and 3200m. You may also know some of the guys I ran with who were seniors when I was a sophomore: Randall Pierce, Tim Preston, Richard Gregor. Should be a good day. I can't believe we've waited this long to start racing

Willie: The Oak Ridge Wildcats run these races: Girls varsity at 10:55. Boys varsity at 11:25. AE

You all officially have the greatest running-related thread on any site in Tennessee--reminds me of the old days on DyeStat. Carry on.

Add Collins Hill (GA). Is that not ridiculous?! That will be one of the best meets in the entire Southeast. Team scores will be incredibly tight. Very nice job, Coach Wood!

This year, we just need to have that Saturday off: some are taking SAT, and we have planned a little break for the heads. We run a dual with Maryville the week before, and then we open with McCallie, Maymont, and Great American. It would be hard to add another big invitational to that schedule and still be human! Last year we had a great day at TN Classic, but we've also had our share of bad days, and those bad days leave an impression, especially when you're trying to race your best on a course where you know you've struggled. I don't know the answer to the question of whether this will be a good idea for us--but it's what we're going to do. West was planning to do the same thing (and then Coach Roberts came to us).

Bridges used to be the better of the two meets, but now it seems to have become less relevant. For the first time in about 30 years, we are not going to TN Classic this year (which was called he Antioch Invitational when I was a kid).

One year we were late getting to Raleigh when G.A. was there, so we had to eat dinner late at Ruby's. McGroom orders a SuperColossal Burger (against a coach's orders), eats most of it, then feels sick the rest of the night and the next morning. When he finishes the race the next day--Race of Champions--he's in the chute when he feels the burger rumbling. He slaps the back of the guy in front of him, says, "Good job," and blows Colossal Burger all over the guy's back. Classic. My guys are the worst eaters on the planet. Coming back from State Track this year they each got a bucket of chicken--each! So they sat in the van, watched "Forty-Year-Old Virgin," and ate 10 pieces of chicken each. We even have a nutritionist come talk to them--does no good. But I've got great stories...

Coach Mac retired several years ago and works in Spain as a missionary, doing some kind of sports camps. We have some names you could call Maclean, but he hates them all.

I assume we're talking boys here. Thanks for the vote of confidence--but we approach things as if nothing is a given, since it isn't... In Region II-AAA I see Maryville and Farragut being very good. Not sure about CCHS, but they have the best middle school program around, so they have to have some good runners coming in. Statewide, I see Morristown West, Houston, D-B all being good. Someone always surprises me, too.

Or even 5... /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

We won AAA that way in 2005. I think our #1 was in the 30s--but they were all right behind him. XC is truly a team sport.

You'd have to know Coach Mac to know exactly how much that sounds like him!

I'll make KWCoach drink a Diet Coke if Matt runs sub-4:20. I don't think it's going to happen for him this year--wheels aren't there. (He hasn't cracked 2:01 for 800.) Next year...yes.

I'm with you. Fortunately, our school picks up the tab for our State trips in whatever sport makes it to State, meaning that our overloaded Boosters don't pick up that tab. We are fortunate. My best friend coaches at another very successful local school, and he has to find a way to pay for it himself. He even won a state title last year, and still he has to do that. I wonder what TSSAA gives to football teams who make it to the Clinic Bowl...

http://home.comcast.net/~orhstrack/2007AAA...oforcoaches.htm

You likely mean O'Donnell, although you could also mean Cole. I don't think 3200 will go sub-9:10 at State with Keveren trying to triple--unless someone decides to pull it out fast just for that reason. I also think O'Donnell has a better chance in the 3200 than the 1600.

It's no longer called the PrepXtra meet. Now it's the Metro 8 Championship. Website: www.metro8track.com.

Yes, sorry about that. Edelman is clearly a 1600/3200 threat. I didn't think for a minute about Gilreath. No one in Tennessee is going to touch him even if he tries the insane 400/800 double. If you asked me, Gilreath is the male track star of the year--no one else close.

I think you've left more than a few out of the picture in AAA: Chandler Cole Tipton O'Donnell Sonnenfeldt Vasquez

In Section 1 AAA, I'll put my money on Stuart Chandler and Maclean O'Donnell at the front. Other possibilities: Tom Gilmartin , Josh Vazquez, Emerson Peacock, Ben Shassere. There are surely others, as well. I don't think Sonnenfeldt will run it.

Who nicknamed B-Gym "The Pit"? Did that happen recently? Was it in 1955? I graduated from ORHS in 1984 and teach and coach there now, but until the past few weeks I had never heard anyone call that place "The Pit." By the way, it's not going to be demolished. It will house a practice gym, weightroom, and trainer's room.

I see that someone brought up the 33 state titles ORHS owns--the most of any public high school in the state. I'm not going to participate in this discussion regarding football, but, as my son is sick today, I have the time to post this summary of the state titles we have won here at ORHS just for clarity's sake. Here are the numbers: 7 Boys cross country 7 Football 7 Boys track 3 Girls basketball 3 Girls cross country 2 Boys basketball 2 Tennis 1 Boys soccer 1 Girls track There's also at least one in swimming, which is not a TSSAA sport.

Clarksville won those titles when Coach Mac was still in diapers, too! Both our boys and our girls ran tough, and our jv kids absolutely owned Percy Warner Park on Saturday--it wasn't even close. Best support ever.