Every year at States teams come together in an attempt to make history. There is truly something special about winning a team title in cross country. Unlike any other running sport, it takes a minimum of five guys to take home the trophy and many more supporting them.
Luray, located roughly 50 miles from Great Meadow, has had many supporters of their teams over the history of their program. They have had supporters for the high years and the low ones and it has always been and will be a family atmosphere.
The type of family that likes to keep their heads down and work towards bigger goals. It is also the type of family that likes to play cruel jokes on their fellow coaches. One such instance was when Coach Pitts and Coach Chrisman walkie-talkied Coach Meadows to run and get the splits during a workout. The only problem was the team was sitting there laughing as both of them made Coach Meadows run to numerous places in the woods trying to find the athletes.
Coach Mike Chrisman definitely had the best sense of humor. He also loved creating traditions. One of them was the annual XC Christmas party. The greatest tradition he created though was the Luray Cross Country Program. He founded it back in 1975 despite being just five years removed from graduating at Luray.
In just his second year coaching and the second year of the program he led the Luray squad to the 'A' state title. His squad scored an impressive 39 points to dethrone defending champions Fort Defiance. That year was also special individually with William Henry taking home the individual crown for Luray.
Mike would ultimately coach three individual runner-ups and a second place finishing team in the 1984 season.
In 2009, Coach Chrisman made the hard choice and took off the "official" coaches hat and retired. Of course like many longtime coaches though, he remained a volunteer assistant coach. He would help out wherever possible and lend advice to both Coach Meadows and Coach Pitts when asked. He would even drive 90 minutes to help start a Riverheads' track meet no questions asked. He obviously loved both XC and track.
In the 2015 season Luray performed decently. They finished 3rd in their east region and 6th in the state. After you took the graduated seniors out from their team and other 1A teams, they entered this season a very distant 5th seed. They actually entered with a score that was about three times larger than the favored Auburn squad. Auburn being the defending champions.
So this season started ok. There were the obvious good signs of runners having put in work over the summer and of course there were signs of work needed to be done.
Coach Chrisman though had a great gauge on how good this team was. Early on in the season he assured Pitts and Meadows that things would fall in place this year.
Fast forward to September 28th. Despite being "retired" Mike went above and beyond and helped make the senior night meet a special one for the athletes. He marked the course and set things up and even painted the seniors' names all around the course. His special touch seemed to be just what the team needed as they had their best meet of the season thus far that day. He stayed extra late with the other coaches and spoke with the athletes and let them know how well they performed. He was and really always was very positive about his team and opponents for that matter.
Two days later on September 30th the team arrived at the track for a speed workout heading into their weekly meet at East Rockingham. The team began arriving at 3:30 and noticed Coach Chrisman's truck being there and figured knowing him he was out on a trail run or something.
Just like any other day the team took the course to get a small warmup in before the workout. It was then, while on this warmup run, that some athletes found Coach Christman collapsed just around the concession stand near the track. Paramedics were called immediately and arrived moments later. Coach Mike Christman was pronounced dead by the paramedics moments later as the team was escorted to the parking lot on the other side of the track. The coaches stayed with the athletes as everyone's ride arrived.
Hours later the coaches gathered the team and their parents at the school. The school also provided counselors. Tears were shed and the team truly self-medicated and bonded together. They went off in their own circle, told stories, prayed, and came together as team.
Just a few days later the team honored Mike both with a big celebration at the school but also win a run in his memory. When Mike was found his Garmin read 1.0 mile at 10:53 pace. Their run that day was a 10:53 mile.
After this incident Coach Pitts has said it has been clear this team is running for Mike. "It was on their faces September 30th".
Just one month later on October 26th their post-season began. Before they ran though the entire team took a trip into the gym to look at the banners. It hadn't been since 1976 that the team had won a district/conference title in XC. It was very motivating to see that since that was the year Coach Chrisman had won the state title.
In Conference 44's competition, the Luray boys shined. They scored a very impressive 35 points with a strong 2-3-4-11-15 first five. They were regionals bound.
A week later on the very hilly and tough Panorama Farms' course the Luray squad hit the course again in the 1A East Regional. They ran like an inspired team and even though the course is not made for speed, five guys had season bests in this race. Those improvements and extra drive helped them clinch a berth into the state meet and claim the 1A East Regional title.
That brings us up to today. The day before the state championship and exactly 40 years since Coach Chrisman dethroned a defending team for the state team title. The coaches have made it clear that of course they are running for Mike but most of all that the athletes are trying to achieve THEIR goals for him.
Entering the competition the team still has a hill to climb and a race to run. But if regionals was any indication of their will to put mind over matter, this is going to be a very close race for the team title.
Lipscomb, Wood, and Supthin have all been performing well individually. They have stepped it up and so far have finished where they needed to. Liscomb also deserves a shoutout for kidnapping his teammate Trystan Martin and making him join the team this year. Martin has gone from 24:30 to 18:25 this season. Gubler and Clark have also made good contributions as the 6th and 7th runners this season.
The lone senior on the squad, Austin Bly, has helped bring this team very far. Though he is currently the #4 on the team, he has seen this team go from finishing last in the conference as a freshman to this historic season.
No matter what happens this weekend a few things are clear. These kids have been through a lot this season and it is clear they exemplify how a team can come together. They also have shown everyone what hard work can lead to. This team has made history and will continue to make history.
Keeping with the fact that Mike loved track and had a sense of humor, he had asked to be cremated and have his ashes made into a baton. That is exactly what they did.
"Mike's body is not there but his inspiration lives in each of the guys. It seems like everything we have done is to just do right by Mike. I really want to emphasize how liked and well respected Mike was. There are few people in the entire community that didn't know Mike. He would stop everything to help people, even those he didn't know." - Coach Pitts
This Luray squad, just like the other 11 teams will toe the line for the state team title this Friday afternoon. They have experienced both tragedy and triumph already this season and both for Mike and these kids, everyone should be cheering for them as they chase down 40 years of history.