Race of Champions
Team Profiles - Boys

Team

Atlantic, Delray Beach, FL.

10th place finisher in last year's Great American Race of Champions, this team packs the best 1-2 punch in high school distance running with twins Sean and John Jefferson, who both can run sub 15:00  on the quick McAlpine Greenway course.  But this is more than a two man team; Ken Shappert and Alfred Felix both ran sub 4:30 miles as sophmores and have the ability to run sub 16:00 at McAlpine.  If they can train through the brutal Florida summer and run up to their potential in September, look for this team to break into the top five and obtain a solid national ranking.

Alexander, Douglasville,GA.

Projected to be the top team in Georgia for 2000, with 6 of their top 7 returning.  Finished 5th in Georgia 4A championships but only 8 points out of second place.  Alexander is lead by Senior Nick Cowan (15:43 5K) and Adam May (16:06).  Finished 5th last year in GAXC's Invitational division and was Georgia Region 5 champ.  Coached by former collegiate runner Brian Robinson.

Bend, OR.

Ranked # 6 nationally in 1999 by The Harrier's Cross Country Report.  Bend is the premiere program from Oregon and has more combined victories in the state's history than any other team.  In the 90's Bend won 5 state titles and was undefeated in 1999 until it was beaten in the state championships by Klamath Union.  1999 victories included the prestigious Stanford Invitational.  The team will be lead by Lane Neely (15:35 5K, 6th OR state) and Cody Loy (15:47 5K, 13th OR state).

Bingham, South Jordan, UT.

Ranked as the 5th best team in the 1990's by The Harrier's Cross Country Report and produced two Footlocker finalists.  Only one of two programs in the nation that produced both a number 1 boys' and girls' team. Finished a strong 3rd place in the 1999 Great American Race of Champions.  Utah 5A state runner-up to Mountain View in 1999.  Ranked # 14 nationally in 1999 by The Harrier's.  Previously ranked number # 1 nationally in 1995, # 4 in '91 and '94, and # 3 in 96. Coached by Jeff Arbogast.  The program has produced one US Olympian, Pan-Am Games Champions, NCAA finalists, numerous NCAA conference Champions and 56 scholarship athletes since 1990.

Campbell County, Gillette, WY.

Coach Orville Hess has been called a legend among coaches in the west.  Over the past 10 years, either his girls' or boys' teams have been ranked in the top 5 nationally six times.  Within the state of Wyoming, Campbell has won 7 state championships over the past 10 years including a 1999 title.  The team returns  4 of 7 from last year's # 15 nationally ranked team and 5th place finisher at Great American.  The team will be lead by Tony Bachmann (16:18 5K, 6th WY state) and Chris Jeremiah (16:12 5K, 9th WY state).

Cherokee, Marlton, NJ.

New Jersey 4A State Champions the past three years.  Ranked by The Harrier's as one of the top 10 teams in the northeast in 1999.  Projected to be the top public school in New Jersey in 2000 and one of the top 5 teams in the east.  Coach Steve Shaklee's team returns four of its top 5 and will be lead by Junior Marc Pelerin, who finished 4th in the 99 state meet as a sophomore.  Returning team averages 16:30 on Homdel, site of the NJ state meet, which runs a good 20 to 30 seconds slower than McAlpine.  Team should have a solid national ranking in 2000.

Eureka, CA.

1999 California State Champs.  1999 Super 25 Honorable Mention by The Harrier's Report.  Returns 4 of top 7 runners including two top 20 finishers from state meet.  Team will be lead by junior's Shaun Lyle (14th CA state, 16:00 5K, 9:33 3200m as 9th grader) and Dale Kitt (19th CA state, 16:08 5K). Team is coached by Robert Bode.

Flathead, Kalispell, MT.

Flathead for the first time in recent years will move clearly into the national spotlight as the team returns 5 of its top 7 from the 1999 Montana State Championship team.  Team has won 4 state titles in the 90's.  Placed no lower than 3rd place in state meet in each of the last 10 years.  Often overlooked because of its remote location and lack of big time exposure, this team has excelled as well as any team in recent years.  However, Coach Paul Jorgensen has been noticed enough to be ranked # 3 nationally in 1998 and # 9 in 1999 and in the top 25 two other years.  The team is lead by David Vidal (15:31 5K, 1st MT state, 36th FL West, 4:14 M) and has excellent upfront depth with Seth Watkins (59th FL West, 4th MT state, 9:38 2M, and Kurt Michels (8th MT state), both sub 16:00 runners on slower courses than McAlpine.  The team will be the # 3 seed in the Race of Champions.

Harwood Union, VT.

Known for producing U.S. Olympic ski team members, Harwood Union brings a young and talented team to Great American.  Previously unranked nationally, Coach John Kerrigan seeks recognition for a team that dominated the Vermont 4A State Championships in 1999 by placing four runners in the top 10.  The team will be lead by state champ, Bruce Hyde.  All 7 runners return from the 1999 team.

Horizon, Scottsdale, AZ.

Arizona 5A State Champs in 1998 and 1999.  State runner-up in 95 and 96. 10th Place finishers in Stanford Invitation, Division I in 1999. Coached by Don Giardina, Horizon will be lead by Kevin Deavy, a 15:54 5K runner who placed 13th in the Arizona state meet.  Ranked by The Harrier's as the 10th best team in the West in 1998.  Team trains before sunrise during the summer, where it can still be in the mid 90's.

Kingwood, TX.

The nation's second best team in the 1990's.  Coach Zoe Simpson and his Kingwood harriers return to Great American after last year's surprise third place finish.  But this program keeps producing excellent runners and look for another strong showing in 2000.  Kingwood has been ranked in the top 25 almost every year, including four rankings in the top five and two # 1 national rankings.  Ranked # 17 nationally in 1999.  The team won 7 state titles between 1992 and 1998 before falling to 3rd place in the 1999 state meet, with two of their top 5 runners out with injuries. The team will be lead by Senior Tyler McCollum (15:41 5K, 4:24 mile).

Klamath Union, Klamath Falls, OR.

Oregon 4A State Champions in 1999.  Ranked # 8 nationally by Harrier Magazine last year.  Team will be lead by two of the nation's most promising young runners, Jacob Gomez who finished 8th in the Oregon Championships as a soph and Lauren Jesperson who finished 10th as a frosh.  Jesperson broke many of the school records of two time Footlocker finalist, Ian Dobson who graduated in 2000.  The team is coached by Marnee Mason Johnson, a former Footlocker finalist.  The school will be the 5th seed in the Race of Champions.

Long Beach Poly, CA.

Poly will join the elite field of teams who have made it back to Great American for the second year in a row.  This program may be a year away from greatness, but has a long history of success with two state titles and national ranked teams in 1997 and 1998.  This team is still young with two juniors, Oscar Mendez (15:08 3M, 16th. CA state) and Bryan Durham(15:29 3M) and sophomore, Kevin Brulois (15:48 3M) making up the top three.  All three should run under 16:00 at McAlpine.  Look for this trio to lead Poly back to another national ranking. Coached by George Wright.

Mead, Spokane,WA.

Lead by high school legendary coach Pat Tyson, Mead brings to Charlotte the nation's best program over the last decade.  Mead won 9 consecutive state titles in the 90's, produced 5 Footlocker Finalist and 5 All-Americans and was ranked # 1 twice and in the top 5 four other times.  The 2000 team will see the emergence of another power house team as the 99 squad had four sophomores that regularly ran in the top 7.  The 2000 team will be lead by Senior Chris Fayant (15:48 5K) who last fall took 4th in the Washington State meet.  Mead is the #4 seed in the Race of Champions.

Mountain View, UT.

The nation's top program over the past six years having been in the top five nationally for 7 years in a row including a #1 ranking in 1998.  1999 Utah 5A state champions. Returns their top two runners from last year's nationally  ranked # 2 squad in Dustin Bybee and Chandler Goodwin.  Bybee is the 3rd fastest returning runner from the powerful west region and Goodwin was state runner-up to Golden Harper with a 15:44.  Mountain View is the number # 2 seed.

North Mecklenburg, Huntersville, NC.

1999 North Carolina state runner-up lead by rapidly rising national star Stephen Haas, who finished 11th at last year's Footlocker finals. He and his team will step up to the Race of Champions after the team's second place in the Invitational, in which Haas won in 15:13. This team has two other sub 16:00 runners backing up Haas and will be the hometown favorite as the team and coach Brad Herbster look to earn their first national ranking.  Haas will likely challenge the course record of 14:52, set by Alan Webb who will run in the Invitational.

Poway, San Diego,CA.

Coach Dan Schaitel brings to Charlotte a team from a school with a rich tradition of sending a team to California State Championships every year since its inception, except one. The team returns three outstanding runners, Luke McGinnis (16:06 5K, 31st. CA state), Devin Lyons-Quirk (16:10 5K, 38th CA state, 9:26 2M) and Aaron Powell (16:15 5K, 45th CA state, 1:54 800m).  McGinnis appears to be a top national runner in the making having ran a 9:38 2 mile as a frosh and then moving up to the team's #2 man this past fall.

Robinson, Fairfax, VA.

One of the top teams in the south.  1999 Virginia State Champions. Returns top 3 runners and 5 of top 7.  Nationally ranked #18 by The Harrier's Cross Country Report and the top team in Virginia. Placed 6th in 1999 Race of Champions.  Lead by L.A. Snead (15:21 3M, 13th VA state, 4:27 M) and Brian Dumm (15:30 3M, 7th VA state, 9:32 2M).  Coached by Jeremy Workman, Robinson currently has 8 collegiate, Division I runners.

St. Xavier, Cincinnati, OH.

Xavier will come into Great American with the second longest streak of Division I appearances in the Ohio state championships.  Over the past 5 years the school has been Ohio's top team with a 3rd place in 1996, 1st 1998, and 2nd in 1999. The team returns its top 3 runners Andy Wietmarschen (15:43 5K, 6th OH state, 9:31 3200m), Ryan Busse (15:58 5K, 19th OH state, 4:28 1600m) and Tim King (16:16 5K, 18th OH state, 4:25 1600m).  

Suffern, Suffern, NY.

Watauga, Boone, NC.

North Carolina's top cross-country program over the past decade and the 1999 4A state champs.  Previously ranked nationally in 1998, this team is rebuilding after the loss of Footlocker Finalist Ricky Brookshire.  Randy McDonough's team will be lead by senior Jason Klutz (16:09 5K, 7th NC state, 9:48 2 mile) and junior Elliott Austin (16:21 5K, 21st NC state, 4:39 M).

Western Albemarle, Crozet, VA.

Ranked # 22 nationally in 1999 by The Harrier's.  Virginia 2A state champs.  Winner of Invitational Division of Great American.  Returns 8 of top 11 runners, including Philip DeJong (7th VA state), Charlie Hurt (10th VA state) and Owen Morrison (24th VA state).  The 2000 team will include three sophomores.  Coached by Lindy Bain.

Winter Park, FL.

Coach Mike Hill is building a solid program and will bring the deepest Florida team to Charlotte.  The team returns 5 of its top 7 runners from a 1999 team that averaged 16:26 on McAlpine and finished 5th place in the Florida championships.  The 2000 team will be lead by Mike Swope, (15:09 3M, 5th FL. state).

The Woodlands H.S. (TX)

The Woodlands and Coach Dan Green will return to Charlotte as the # 1 seed, to defend their 1999 Race of Champions title where they set a new course record with an average team time of 15:50.5.  Ranked nationally # 4 in 1999 by The Harrier's.  The team has not lost a race since the 1998 Texas State Championships.  Woodland's lost top runner Chris Emme to graduation but Senior's Luis Bordes (4th TX state, 9:20 2M, 4:26 M), Chris Esselborn (15th TX state, 9:37 2M), Brian Periman (26th TX state, 9:34 2M, 4:24 M) and Robert Dunphy (26th TX state, 9:16 2M, and 4:18 M) will more than fill the role of front runner.  This team is deep and will benefit from the addition of a very talented group of incoming frosh who are showing real star potential.  Woodlands has their eyes set on a # 1 national ranking, in 2000.