WG’s Team of the Week
The casual high school sports fan has probably never even given cross country a passing thought- understandable but nevertheless disappointing. While hundreds of students and parents eagerly attend Dillard football games, the same attention and enthusiasm falls woefully short when speaking of cross country, a sport that demands courage, endurance, sacrifice and commitment sans the physicality, immediate excitement and anticipation inherent in football or other traditional sports . I continue to draw the comparison because both are fall sports held at similar times. However, on many high school and college campuses, the sport’s popularity has skyrocketed. For example, who knows or has ever heard of Katelin Tuohy or Charles Hicks? Allow me the privilege of sparing you the aggravation. Katelin led the Atlantic Coast Conference North Carolina State University Wolfpack to the 2022 NCAA Division I XC championship, winning her first individual title in 19:27 while garnering the team’s second consecutive title. Stanford’s Charles Hicks won the men’s individual XC title, setting a course record at Oklahoma State University with a time of 28:43, one second ahead of pre-race favorite Nic Young of Northern Arizona, NCAA men’s XC ‘22 champs. Dillard’s program, under the astute, capable leadership of Coach Davidson Gill, has quickly, albeit quietly, risen in stature locally and statewide. For the novice or unfamiliar , Coach Gill offers some basic machinations of the sport. Cross country races in high school are normally 5k or 3.1 miles and major races normally consist of around 150 to 200 kids. 7 runners from each team entering a given meet usually compete with only the top 5 runners from each team count scoring wise to determine individual and team finishes unless a tie breaker is needed. In that case , the top 5 runners‘ places are tallied up and the lowest score determines the winner. Coach Gill attributes the success of Dillard Cross Country to a stellar group of dedicated and talented athletes who epitomize the heart, grit, endurance and stamina needed to successfully compete. Christina Coleman is a high school junior who started running on the high school team her 7th grade year and has been top 6 runner in the state the last 3 years. Her personal best time is 18:15 ; so far she has distinguished herself as an individual district, regional and county champion.
Raquel Edwards is a junior in high school who started running on the high school team her 8th grade year. She has run a personal best 18:58 and is currently ranked among the top 5 runners in the county and top 25 in the state.
Peyton Williams, currently an 8th grader who runs for the high school team, has recorded a personal best time of 19:34, ranking among the top 10 runners in the county.
The more you delve into the athletes the strategies employed by Coach Gill in building his program become readily apparent. Find the young talent, indoctrinate them about the beauty of the cross country, help them achieve early and immediate success and develop the individual skill sets. To win as a team Coach Gill also understands the importance of having multiple runners which increases team success.
Jaliah Gammage is currently an 8th grader who has been running on the team since 7th grade. She has a personal best time of 19:52 and ranks in the top 10 in Broward County.
Miley Gill is currently a 6th grader running on the high school team with a personal best of 19:34. She also ranks in the top 10 in the county.
Tamijah Scriven is the only senior on the team. She has a personal best of 20:22 and ranks among the top 20 in the county.
Leandra Jones is a high school junior who has achieved an individual best time of 21.07, placing her among the top 20 in Broward.
Dillard has been ranked in the top 6 in the state for the last 4 years, finished 2nd this past year and is closer to being the first black school to ever win a cross country state title. I must digress slightly here. When I began my career in education at Blanche Ely, I had the privilege of being one of the drivers transporting our cross country team to the state cross country meet where the Tigers finished second after winning the Florida Class A championship in 1968.
In 1968 Blanche Ely of Pompano Beach came out of nowhere to take the title, scoring 69 points then the following season improved their scoring with 58 points but finished runner-up to Bishop Barry’s 56, being one of only a handful of teams to improve their team score the following year only to finish runner-up. Who is the other school?
It does appear that Coach Gill is well on his way to winning the girl’s state title in short order. He states, ”My biggest challenge is getting the commitment required to be successful and also to get our kids to buy into the high mileage in the middle of the hot summer, but once they start seeing the results that will allow them to get scholarships, it becomes a lot easier. The idea of cross country making track a lot easier is what makes it the most appealing due to the easy transition they make to the track where they’re already in top shape from cross country season, and we are a very low profile so we cherish staying under the radar while we continue to surprise everyone.”
The demanding sport of Cross Country requires individual athletes to be selfless, determined, devoted and relentless in their pursuit of individual and team goals, eliminating natural gifts associated with so many high school, collegiate and professional athletes today. Coach Davidson Gill understands that better than any educator/coach in Broward which accounts greatly for Dillard’s increasing presence in a sport that is prime for greater exposure and national recognition. The Westside Gazette, publisher Bobby R. Henry and staff wish you continued success as you forge ahead, tearing down barriers, brushing aside the naysayers and accomplishing your stated and desired goals. For you Coach and your awesome athletes, nothing is impossible!