"WEST VIRGINIA CROSS COUNTRY ALL-TIME PERFORMANCE LIST"

 

          We are in the process of putting together a WV CC Best Performance List. It is noted that all cross country courses are different in their on right. A runner may run a 15:00's one week and run a 17:00's the next. This is a fact!! However, runners get the opportunity to run a flat and favorable course at least once throughout the season. As Josh Weekley will tell you, he has seen courses that have been from 2.7-3.3. This is our biggest problem, and it will create the "reasonable doubt effect" on the top times.               

        An attempt to contact coaches and runners is an ongoing process. Past state champions and top runners will be first on the contact list. Times submitted will be thoroughly researched by coaches and articles from library archives. It is noted that WV Gazette and the Daily Mail did not start the library archives until 1985. This project may take years. We will start the performance list with times that we can currently verify to be true. The list will be posted and will serve as a measuring rod. When we receive and verify new times, they will be posted accordingly!!!!!

      With that being said!! Our next task is to create, ( "A Standard of Legitamacy Criteria List")  . It seems true, that 15:00 for the 5k is the top measuring standard. There are those, such as, Steve Taylor who have ran a 14:46.

                                      Standards Of  Legitamacy Criteria List

 

1)Posted times would be collabarated by Newspaper articles in the Library Archives and coaches saved Articles.

 

2)The Runner will be evaluated by his prior track distance time, since it is the closest time frame to Cross country season. Example, Steve Taylor ran a 9:09 3200 in his senior track season. Note,We will use his 11th grade 3200 time of 9:14 at the STATE MEET, since it was closest to Cross Country Season. There are many past & present runners that have run much faster during the regular season. It is extremely difficult to get regular season best times from runners back in the earlier days. We will make it a fair playing ground and use the state meet times. We have been able to get 100% track times for the top 10 individuals on the Cross Country all-time list.(WV HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD STATE MEET--JESSE SKILES) The evidence so far, shows that those runners who ran in the 15:00's recorded 3200 times of 9:20--to--9:49 in the 11th grade at the state meet. There are those few that ran in the 9:00's prior to senior track season. Ex.(Taylor, Adkins) So, if a runner clocks in a 15:00's in CC and only ran a 10:05 3200 during track, this would be least Legitimate on the scale.

 

3)"THE RUNNERS RESUME"- It Would be assumed that a runner who has ran in the 15:00's left a trail of success.The top list so far shows that over 90% of  the top CC runners were listed as a track and/ or Cross Country Champion. (Example- Runner #1 was a (2 x 800 Champion)(2 x 1600 champion)(3 x 3200 champion) and a (2 x Cross country Champion). This type of resume meets the 3rd standard of legitimacy. Was the runner undefeated? Has he run in the 14:00's or 15:00's before. Course records?

 

4)Analyze the top recorded time in a race against the rest of the top 10 runners in that particular race. Ex. Runner #1 runs a 15:03-- #2 runs a 15:05 #3 runs a 15:57 and the rest of the field runs in the 16:00's and above.What would make the top runners time legitamate? Runner #1 CC champion & CC runnerup/ 3200 champion & 3 time 3200 runnerup/ 1600 runnerup / 7-0 undefeated regular season. #2)The second runner is the defending CC champion and CC runnerup/ the only 4 time 3200 champion/ 2 time 1600 champion. Runner #3 was the seasons CC champion.Runner #5- Cross country Champion & 3200  champion. Runner # 6-1600 runnerup.Runner #7-3rd 1600/4:24.1.)  As you can see, this type of quality runners and the domination of runner # 1 & 2 makes the 15:03 & 15:05 most legitamate.

 

These standards of legitamacy are in no way close to an exact science. There are always some exceptions to the rule. However, the 4 standards of legitamacy act as a compass to lead us closer to a true outcome.

 

This  is the starting point for the all-time performance list  WV CC!!!

There are many past champions such as Fox, Adkins, Redman, Posey, Hill, Marks, Dent,L. Taylor, Haddox, Kominsky, Case, Bowman, DeRosa, Nutter,Nicols,Tabor,Dawkins,Gilmore,Simpkins,Decarlo,Miller,Cunningham, D.Ball/Hurricane,DaveBall/Spencer,Ivey,Petsko,Roby,McClinic,Ciarolla,Benford,Hoff,Mickens, Meador, Shy, Buckus, Beckelhimer, Phillips, Smith, Wells, Barnum, Clark,Hensly, Gilmore, Lucas,Carroll,Urse, Toothman, Nelson and many other great WV CC runners.NOTE- The list below is a starting point only***** We hope that past runners above and coaches have information to add to the all-time list. Each case will be thourghly examined for legitimacy.  Once a new time is submitted, it will be placed accordingly Any new submissions should be sent to toddmcmillion@suddenlink.net .

 

*ALL-TIME CROSS COUNTRY PERFORMANCE LIST/ (MUST MEET                  STANDARDS LEGITAMACY)

 

 

(SCHOOL)          (NAME)           (YEAR )      (TIME)           (11th GRADE-TRACK TIME)               

 

1)ST.MARYS-STEVE TAYLOR     82'    (14:46/:47/:51) * 3200-9:14-1600-4:20.96 Excels 4 standards Legit.   (800/run- 1 time champ/ 2 time runnerup) (1600/run-2 time champ) (3200 -Champ x 3)(CC champ x 2)   ***confirmed by coach Larry Butcher-Newspaper Archives--Wheeling and Nationals in NY ***One of the greatest WV long distance runners of all Time.Ran a 13:38.41 3mile in college

 

2)Nitro High- Todd McMillion       88'  (15:03/:24/:59)*3200-9:34.6-1600-4:24.6 meets 4 standards legitamacy   (CC-champion + CC Runnerup/ youngest in WV-15y6m) (3200 champion+3x runnerup)  (1600 runnerup)   *confirmed - www.wvgazette.com Library Archieves Tuesday September13th,1988 West Virginia University Invitational CC Championship--15:03(course record) Undefeated 10th grade & 12th Regular season-wvgazette.com-Archieves-Fri. October 14th,1988

 

3)Keyser -   Buck Brooks             88'  (15:05/15:30)     *3200-9:33.8-1600-4:24.0 meets 4 standards legitamacy  (CC-champion+ CC runnerup) (3200-  4 time champion-- 9th-12th grade) (2 x 1600 champion)   *confirmed -www.wvgazette.com Library archieves *Tuesday. September. 13,1988 West Virginia University Cross Country championship--15:05-Defending champion-Held record **15:30- Defeated by 2nd rank, Todd McMillion. Brooks ran A 4:18 mile senior track.

 

4)Oak Glen- Justin Simpson          02'  (15:06)              *3200- 9:29-meets 4 standards legitmacy

  (CC- 2 time champion).(-3200-champion + 2x runnerup)  * confirmed by WV Gazette Library Arcives & runwv.com*confirmed by all-time south performance list.. Best Time of a WV runner on South list.

 

5)Oak Glen- Josh Simpson              02' (15:15)               *3200- 9:48- 1600-4:33.50-meets 4 standards of legitamacy  (CC State Runnerup) (3rd-3200)* confirmed by WV Gazette Library Archieves/December 2002* confirmed by all-time south performance list & runwv.com.

 

6)Wheeling Park-Ryan Beabout        07'(15:25)                *3200-9:30.89 1600-4:25.65 meets 4 standards of legitamacy (2 x CC champion)(2 x 3200 champion)(1600 runnerup)*confirmed by wvgazette.com/ runwv.com- all-time south performance list

 

7)Doodridge- Levi Grandt                  07'(15:26/15:51)         *3200-9:44 1600-4:30 =10th-11th? meets 4 standards of legitamacy (2 x CC champ) (3200 champ x 2) (1600 champ + runnerup) *confirmed in wvgazette.com/ runwv.com & all-time south performance list- ran a 9:22 3200 senior year.

 

8)Athens- Mickey Cox                     92'(15:29/15:43.5)       *3200-9:38.1 1600-4:27.4 -11th Meets 4 standards of legitamacy (CC champ x 1) (3200 champ x 2)(1600 champ x 2) (800 champ x 2) *confirmed in wvgazette.com * confirmed in runwv.com & all-time south performance list. Recorded a  4:17.54 1600 senior year

 

9)South Charleston-David Caldwell    08'(15:42)                  *3200-9:47.20 1600-4:42.24 11th Meets 3 standards of legitamacy (3rd 3200) (CC 3rd & 5th) *confirmed in wvgazette.com & runwv.com & all-time south performance list.

 

10)Magnolia- Josh Watson               98'(15:43)                   *3200- 9:46.60 1600-4:26.96 Meets 4 standards of legitamacy  (3 x CC champ) (2 x 800 champ) (2 x 1600 champ) (2 x 3200 champ)

* confirmed in wvgazette.com & confirmed in runwv.com & all-time south performance list