| Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley | | | | Tyson's reign. Kennewick finished as runner-up |
| Gonzaga University Athletic Director Mike Roth | | | | with 102 points. |
| made the most astute move since the hiring of | | | | Mead's all-time record holder for the 1,600 and |
| Mark Few as his basketball coach by recently | | | | 3,200 is Chris Lewis, who set the marks in 1989 |
| hiring legendary high school coach Pat Tyson as | | | | by running 4:04.6 and 8:50.65. Not many schools |
| Gonzaga's first full-time running coach. | | | | have runners who could keep up with the likes of |
| Roth could not have found a better choice than | | | | Chris Lewis or Matt Davis. |
| Tyson, who has not yet had a full-time | | | | Tyson's harrier squads posted an amazing dual |
| opportunity to run a complete college | | | | meet record of 145-6 in cross-country |
| cross-country and track and field program. | | | | competition. No slouch himself, Tyson competed |
| Tyson just completed the spring season as the | | | | with Steve "Pre" Prefontaine at the University of |
| track coach for South Eugene High School in | | | | Oregon and clocked a 13:37 in the 3-mile and a |
| Oregon. He spent last season coaching the | | | | 28:34 in the 6-mile. He was a walk-on after |
| cross-country teams and distance runners at the | | | | graduating from Lincoln High School in Tacoma |
| University of Kentucky. | | | | (WA). |
| Apparently his coaching methods did not go over | | | | Tyson was Pre's roommate at Oregon, but far |
| as well in the south as in the Pacific Northwest, | | | | more important, he was a member of the 1971 |
| where he built a sterling reputation for success in | | | | Duck cross-country team that won the NCAA |
| Eastern Washington at Mead High School. In 19 | | | | national championship. |
| yearsfrom 1986 through 2004Tyson's | | | | The spillover effect of Tyson's personality, |
| Panthers produced 12 state cross-country titles, 9 | | | | accessibility and passion for running positively |
| individual cross-country champions, and 17 | | | | influenced Mead runners and brought students into |
| individual track middle distance champions at 1,600 | | | | the program that may otherwise have never |
| and 3,200 meters. | | | | been involved in athletics. Students who also might |
| To show how dominate Mead was, I was near | | | | have played other sports only to ride the bench |
| the finish line at the 1993 state cross-country | | | | came into Tyson's program because they could |
| meet in Pasco (WA) when the Panthers made a | | | | compete rather than watch their teammates win. |
| statement in the 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) like | | | | Tyson's philosophy and system became infectious |
| nothing I have ever seen in state competition. | | | | in the Greater Spokane League. A league that had |
| First across the line was Matt Davis in 14:09.3 , | | | | done well spawned other teams that won state |
| followed by his brother Micah Davis in 14:46, | | | | titles when Mead did not. Beginning in 1988 with |
| followed by Rob Aubrey in third at 14:48, then | | | | the first of Tyson's 12 Mead cross-country |
| Greg James finished 8th in 15:13.9 and Skiy De | | | | championships, the Greater Spokane League has |
| Tray finished 28th in 15:43. Matt Davis set a | | | | won EVERY 4A championship since then. |
| course record and won this third consecutive | | | | The fact that Pat Tyson is returning to the Great |
| state cross-country title. | | | | Pacific Northwest to coach at Gonzaga University |
| Mead runners in blue and gold streamed past in a | | | | is great news for prep runners in Washington, |
| 1-2-3-8-28 finish and won with 31 points. Mead's | | | | Oregon and Idaho. Great high school runners will |
| slowest scoring runner was 15:43! It was the year | | | | follow Tyson to Gonzaga like bees to honey. |
| that Mead won its 6th straight title under Pat | | | | |