Fall Sports Preview: Boys Cross-Country

Coach: Coach Bill Taylor starting coaching track and cross-country in 1977. This year, he is joined again on the boys team by Rod Berry – one of the top former Marin County high school runners.

Highlights of 2009 Season: The boys team lost one dual meet in the 2009 season, but are hoping to improve upon last year's performance with a number of returning and improving runners.

"They are bigger now, experienced, ready to let fly," said Taylor. "They could be a championship team this year."

In addition, a number of the runners performed well in the spring 2009 track season, including Carroll Oliver, who advanced to the top nine finals in the 800m at the Meet of Champions.

Returning runners: The team has two MCAL all-league runners returning: Carroll and sophomore John Lawson, who took ninth at the MCAL Championship race as a freshman.

Those two will be joined by junior Will Baker-Robinson. In terrible wind at Redwood High School during the North Coast Section championship track meet in the spring, Will ran a n impressive 10:05 two-mile, said Taylor. Stefan Torelli, who has been frequently injured, will also be back healthy and ready to run.

"He's had nothing but injuries and has fought back through all kinds of medical attention and surgeries," said Taylor.

The "hot rods," as Taylor calls them, will be rounded out by Clayton Hutchins and Dylan Enos. With the entire varsity team from the 2009 season returning, Taylor is hopeful that the group is more experienced and confident and ready to excel.

In cross-country, there are two MCAL pennants and championships awarded – one for the dual meet season and one for the MCAL Championship meet race. Drake has always done exceptionally well over the dual meet season, "which requires nine separate victories," said Taylor.

The season starts with Drake hosting a dual meet against Novato on Sept. 23 and runs until the MCAL Championship race on Nov. 10, with the North Coast Section Championship on Nov. 20 and the state championship race over the Thanksgiving weekend.

"It's a long time until Thanksgiving," said Taylor.

JV: There are two or three boys on the JV team that have potential to move up to varsity, said Taylor. There's also at least one incoming freshman who could be a vital part of the team.

Over 60 people came out for the cross-country team in 2009, making for a deep and talented team. However, MCAL decided to eliminate the JV championship race that used to be held at the same time as the Varsity championship race, meaning there is no longer a JV title awarded. Taylor, along with nearly every cross-country coach in the league, has been appealing this decision.

"It shows no understanding of the sport," he said.

It also means that JV runners have to prove themselves over the course of the season in order to have a shot at racing in the November MCAL Championship meet or in the North Coast Section and state meet in the weeks following.