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 specific training in the afternoon.
The spillover effect of Tyson’s personality, approachability, and passion for running positively influenced Mead’s runners and drew students to the program who might never otherwise have been involved in athletics.
Students who might as well have played other sports just to be on the sidelines 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 he had done well spawned other teams that won state titles when Mead didn’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 consecutive title under the reign of Pat Tyson.
The distance was 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) and the only question on my mind was whether Matt Davis (Mead’s best running back) 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 course record in the process and won his third straight cross country state title.
Standing near the finish line, I watched the Mead Panthers in their blue and gold jerseys make a statement like I had never seen before in a 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 8th in 15:13.9 and Skiy De Tray finished 28th in 3:43 p.m.
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 runners-up with 102 points.
In real numbers, Mead scored 42 points, but received 31 in the final results as the runners whose teams did not qualify ran alongside the runners whose teams qualified, thus the runners who finished before the runners from the qualified 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 points less than the 1-2-3-8-28 finish that Mead recorded.
Matt Davis was one of the best middle-distance runners ever produced in the state of Washington. 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 awarded 4 state track titles.
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’ 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 split 71. 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
