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Marietta GA boys thrive with five at NXN SE - Mary Albl - DyeStatPublished by
Marietta GA: Five hands, all in
By Mary Albl for DyeStat
In a school populated with more than 2,000 students, the Marietta GA boys cross country team has found success with just five.
Last Saturday at the Southeast Nike Cross Regional qualifying meet in Cary N.C., the Marietta boys ran with no margin for error. All five placed in the top 60 and the won with 156 points to punch its first ticket to the Nike Cross National meet in Portland, Ore. this Saturday.
"People want to make a big deal out of the five runners," head coach Jack Coleman explained. "But really, if it's all you got, you run."
Sure, Marietta has other runners on the roster. In the regional and state meets the team ran the traditional seven. But for a program that rarely gets more than 40 kids to come out each year, depth is never a given.
Coleman explained the sixth and seventh men, placement wise, wouldn't have made an impact. At the 6A state championship, where the Blue Devils scored 27 points, four runners finished in the top 10 and all five in the top 15. The sixth and seventh were 130st and 181st.
He said he spoke with the other runners about only taking five to regionals with the understanding this journey is something the five have earned and worked toward the last three years. Last year, Marietta placed fifth at regionals.
Coleman said they've been fortunate enough to avoid any serious injury or illness this season that have prevented anyone from competing.
"Earning what you get, I think cross country is about that," Coleman said.
And so far, Marietta is thriving with five. With a smaller pack, there is more accountability and everyone is wanting to perform their absolute best.
"When they step to the line, they got to take care of (business) whether they feel it or not," he said. "I had a runner a few years ago, he said, 'It really doesn't matter how I feel, because I have to run the race on the day they have it.' I kind of liked that idea."
The five:
Carlos Torres, senior Khayvonn Benson, senior David Savic, senior Hayden Tullos, junior: Ben Patterson, junior
Coleman said Torres emerged as the No. 1 runner this fall, but it's an interchangeable group where someone can step up any given day. (Torres was the team's fifth at NXN Southeast). He said they all bring something different to the team.
"Khayvonn (Benson), he is very quiet, but he's a big-time competitor," Coleman said. Benson is also a point guard on the basketball team and has already played in a handful of games this season averaging double-digits.
Coleman said junior Tullos is the "runner" of the group.
"That's what he identities with," Coleman said. "He's probably the running geek of the group. He's very driven about the whole thing."
While Coleman said they aren't the most talented group of the 22 teams heading to Portland, they've definitely earned a spot on the line this year.
"I hear the names of the teams we're going to be running against, and man, these teams running at the national meet probably think we're not that big of a deal," he said. "(But) we didn't get here because we couldn't run with them. We're going to give it our best shot."
And for Marietta, that means all five running together.
"There's not a lot of glory in cross country and a whole lot of work," Coleman said. "And we thrive on that." More news |