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High school track guru Doug Speck called the first Great American in 1999 "the most significant day in the history of US high school cross country." It brought more top teams together face to face than any previous meet, and it produced an historic performance by the Bingham UT girls. The 7th edition has attracted 23 teams ranked in their region by the Nike Team Nationals, including defending NTN girls champion and US#1 Saratoga Springs NY. The course at SAS Park has been reconfigured this year, with the finish line moved out of the stadium to the middle of the long incline where the start is. Runners will climb to the top of the hill in the last mile, and then loop back for a downhill finish. Rich Gonzalez Mini Preview - For some teams competing around the country, there is indeed a "Road To Portland" for the Nike Team Nationals. But for those that choose to attend the annual Great American Cross-Country Festival, it's more like a superhighway. Prior Years2004 - NE#2 US#10 Cedar Cliff PA 149 (11 19 25 46 48) achieved a balanced win in a wide open race. Hoover AL sr Robert Bedsole 15:14 was an impressive winner, surging in front after the first mile and leading the rest of the way, a winner by 4 seconds over Middletown OH sr Jeff See 15:18. US#1 Saratoga NY 26 (2 3 6 7 8) crushed the field to leave no doubt that they are the best team in the country this year and, perhaps, any year. Warwick Valley NY jr Aislinn Ryan 16:57 broke away from Summit Frisco CO sr Whitney Anderson 17:24 late to win convincingly. 2003 - The Woodlands TX boys and Saratoga NY girls solidified their claim on US #1 ranking that they held to the end of the season. It was the third straight Great Am title for Saratoga. Colorado runners grabbed three of the four major races: Mohammed Ige, Ryan Deak and Katelyn Kaltenbach. 2002 - Mud and disqualifications mar the only running of Great Am at Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte. Mountain View UT boys win when The Woodlands top two runners follow Bobby Curtis in cutting the course. Nicole Blood leads Saratoga NY girls. Chris Solinsky WI has fastest boys time of day. Rick Hill announces sale of meet to NSSF. 2001 - Saratoga NY girls, Kingwood TX boys win team titles. Alison Tubbs WA hammers top girls field. Bobby Curtis has fastest boys time. Races were run at Winthrop Farm Meadows at Rock Hill SC, just across the state line from Charlotte. 2000 - The year of the great flood. At the starting time Saturday morning, the start and finish areas were under water. Races were amazingly run after a 6 hour delay to let the swollen creek at McAlpine Park in Charlotte recede. The winners were Alan Webb (2nd straight year), Alicia Craig, Saratoga NY girls, and Mountain View UT boys. 1999 - Inaugural Festival was a magic moment at McAlpine Park in Charlotte with a full Carolina moon overlooking the tent party and dance on Friday night. On Saturday, race announcer Doug Speck called it "the most significant day in the history of US high school cross country" because of the unprecedented showdown of top ranked national teams. Then, when the Bingham UT girls dominated the Race of Champions, Speck said it was "the greatest girls cross country team performance in US history," surpassing the previous standard University Irvine CA team. An average time of 18:13 for 5000 meters - a 35-point trouncing of the nation's No. 1 team Saratoga NY. A 2-3-10-11-19 finish - all five scorers under 19 minutes - the 6th and 7th runners finishing 28 and 33. Felicia Guliford NM won the girls ROC, followed by Bingham's Zeigle twins. Alan Webb VA and The Woodlands TX were the boys ROC winners.
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DyeStat ©1998-2005 |
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John Dye - founder and editor in chief left, John and Donna Dye |
