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Photos by Chris Auckely (motrackfanatic.blogspot.com) ST. LOUIS – Soldan began making a splash on the cross country scene two years ago when the Tigers qualified for their first state meet with a runner-up finish at the Class 3 District 3 meet. The Tigers advanced again last season to the state meet, but they received notoriety not for their production on the Oak Hills Golf Center course in Jefferson City, but for being disqualified for fielding eight runners in the race. The oversight on which of the seven runners were supposed to line up at the starting line was erased when the Tigers stormed the Jefferson Barracks Park course for this year’s District 3 race, which they won handily with 39 points. That clinched Soldan’s third consecutive trip the Class 3 state meet.
Soldan competes in the St. Louis Public High League, which is known more for its basketball and football than producing cross country squads. Spivey set out to redefine what PHL schools can do four years ago, and it started with Adrian Liddell, who now runs for Missouri Baptist University. Liddell won the District 3 race in 2008 when the current Tigers were underclassmen, and Spivey said Liddell’s success made an immediate impression. “We didn’t have a team, but I think it sparked their interest,” Spivey said. “When you’re a freshman and see a senior win districts you take notice. “Every time we went, I made sure everybody was included as far as a team, and where Adrian went, they went. Because of his success, it spurred them to want to be successful like him. And now four years later, I’ve got five state qualifiers on my team. It’s just a growing process.” Sophomore Darryon Plair and senior Kurly Taylor ran side-by-side through the first half of the race. Plair felt at ease and opted to make a move to close the gap on the lead. He didn’t catch race winner Travis Connelly of Lutheran South, but he did finish runner-up in 17:24. Taylor captured fifth in 18:04. Taylor said the whole group came from the same middle school, Bunche International Studies, and decided to give cross country a try. “We’re all skinny figures, and a lot of big guys play basketball and football,” Taylor said. “We came to high school and said we’re going to change it up. We’re going to run, and we’re going to make the best out of it.”
At Saturday’s district race, senior Elva Shelton led the next pack across the finish line in sixth place (18:49). Malcom Ross was 12th (19:20), and Sean Jackson took 14th (19:31). Now Spivey has Soldan on the map, and the Tigers’ reach far exceeds the PHL. “I guess four years ago looking back, it wasn’t a real big thing,” Spivey said. “But now sometimes when people think about cross country, they think about Soldan as far as the city is concerned, and the recognition from the suburban schools is what does it. They recognize we’re there and that we can compete. “It’s not like these kids come in running these times; it’s a building process, and that’s what people have to realize.” Regardless of how the team fares at the state meet, Spivey knows there is already a trip to Six Flags already on the calendar. “I even have to go to Six Flags with them,” Spivey said. “Every time we do well at districts, we always go to Six Flags. I’m forced to ride rollercoasters and whatever, but it’s all about the kids.” |
“We’re bringing cross country to the forefront in our school,” Soldan coach Ron Spivey said. “Cross country is not big in the city and city schools, but we’re changing that. People actually know what cross country is now, and the guys love it and I love it.”
Taylor was the team’s top finisher at last year’s state meet. He finished in 17:06 for what would’ve been 23