by Coach William Taylor
My days coaching at Drake started out with one of the “greatest ones” I would ever coach already on the girl’s team. This was an enthusiastic athlete who ran my college event, the half mile. Lori Saia gave me her trust and in two years she went to the state finals twice in the half mile, and in 1978 she anchored our girl’s mile relay team to third place in the California final. No relay team from Marin, boys or girls, has placed this high in the state meet. We still hold the Redwood Empire record and are # 1 in Marin history.
By 1982, Katy Dykstra had qualified for the state finals three times in the mile. She was second in the Meet of Champions in 1980 and 1981. A fever cost her a sub-five minute mile time the following year. Small in size, Dykstra was of pride and fortitude. As a little freshman she complained to me one day, “I’ll never be as fast as those bigger girls.” She ended up running a 5 flat mile.
One day the Drake office informed me that “a national runner” had transferred in from Michigan. “Oh yeah?” I didn’t take this hype seriously. But Karen Brown was for real and she ran the 300 meter low hurdles in 42.65, set a record in winning the Meet of Champions, placed 5th in the state finals in a Drake uniform. Her best time ranked her 8th in the nation. And in the “junior nationals,” Karen ran the 400 meter hurdles in 59.6. At Drake, Karen also recorded over the 30 inch 100m hurdles a 14.3 time, and in the mile relay a couple of 55 second anchor legs.
Greatness?
In 1989, Jim O’Sullivan cleared 7 feet in the high jump on three occasions. This gave “the babe” a tie for 8th by height in the nation. He won the Redwood Empire (NCS) four straight years, went on to be co-captain of the track and field team at Cal, Berkeley. Nobody else from a Marin high school has cleared 7 feet. Jim had an off night in the state and tied for 5th place. He set a meet record at Mt. Sac earlier in the season, defeated the eventual state champion.
Right behind Jim in 1990/1991 was Richie Boulet. He matured into the greatest miler to come out of the county with a 3:53.23 gem in Eugene, Oregon after he graduated from Cal, Berkeley. It was the second fastest in the United States by an American that year. An injury cost Richie a place on the 2000 U.S. Olympic team. At Drake he went to the state finals twice, placed 5th his senior year in the mile. He was third in division three in the state in cross country in 1990. Richie is married to Magda Lewy-Boulet, an Olympian and one of the top American female marathon runners at this time. I know they are married because I led the service.
The next “greatest” burst forth during her sophomore year. I called her “the elf” because she was so tiny. And darling. Little Morgan Banks trusted my aggressive pace instructions and set a new Redwood Empire record in 2000 with a 2:11.9 half mile The stadium crowd was shocked as this little girl ran away from the field. By the state final she was one of the favorites to win. The sophomore finished second in 2:09.1, the second fastest high school time in the nation through that June date. Some Elf!
In 2003, I headed to Los Angeles with two “great” ones. Alex Pearlstone had qualified for the 200 meter finals as a sophomore, Eric Lee the 800 meter finals as a junior. No deal that year at the state. Pearlstone claimed 5th place in lane one at the state the next year in the 200m, Lee placed 5th after recording a 1:52.23 half mile in the Meet of Champions the week before. With Lee graduating, Pearlstone put the “greatest” day together in one meet in the school’s history (e.g., lst in the 100m, 1st in the 200m, 1st in the long jump, and a 1st place anchor leg in the 4 x 100m relay at the Meet of Champions). Four gold medals in Berkeley for a Fairfax kid. Alex holds the best marks in Marin history in those individual events, and the relay team is in a virtual tie for the best ever time. Things didn’t go as well the next week, but “who cares?”
Last year Cody Cunnington needed to clear the pole vault height at the state finals on three straight “third try” attempts. Otherwise, bye, bye. He cleared the bar under this precarious situation with three beautiful vaults. His 15 foot 11 inch height is the best in Marin history and was the second best of the night at the state meet. He received 5th place based on number of misses.
What a privilege to coach and be a part of these “great” athletes. Fortunately there are others from Drake who have lifted the sport into prep orbit. Do you know that Drake has qualified an athlete every year of this century to the state track and field finals?
Who will be “the greatest” tomorrow?
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