Parkview's seven seniors look to bring home a state title

Unlike football, where the sheer physicality of the sport most often prevents younger players from making significant contributions, underclassmen in cross country seem to make an impact on most teams just about every season.

But this year, Parkview’s boys team bucks that trend. All of the Panthers’ top seven runners are seniors who have been running together since their sophomore year, dreaming of bringing a state championship back to one of the state’s top programs. Saturday’s state championship meet in Carrollton is their last shot.

“Every single training run we’ve done together all leads up to [Saturday],” said Louis Roger, the Panthers’ No. 4 runner. “But I don’t think we feel any pressure. The only pressure there is, is the pressure you put on yourself.”

“I think we’ve trained really hard and had great workouts all year,” said Joseph Weiler, the No. 3 runner. “We’ve got a lot of confidence, and we’re all ready to put everything we’ve got into it.”

Parkview coach James Tigue said he and his staff had a feeling that this group of seven could be special. They proved him right during their sophomore season in 2008, when three of them cracked the starting seven.

“You could tell they all had a tremendous work ethic and focus,” Tigue said. “They had a drive and a commitment to training when no one is watching, which is what you need to be great.”

But Parkview, which last won a state title in 2006, finished 10th in 2008. Then last season, community-rival Brookwood was too talented and too deep to overcome en route to that school’s ninth state title. Parkview, led by Steven Spevacek’s fifth-place finish, settled for second.

“I thought we did all we could, but [Brookwood] was just so solid,” said Alec Klassen, the Panthers’ No. 1 runner who is ranked third in the state. He finished ninth at state last season. “They were just better."

But Klassen said he and his teammates’ confidence got a boost a couple of weeks later at the Nike Southeast Championships, a regional qualifier for the national championship meet held in Oregon each season. Parkview finished third at the Nike, one spot short of qualifying for nationals. The second spot went to a team from Florida. Brookwood claimed the top slot.

“It was hard knowing we were so close to qualifying for nationals, but at that point we knew we could run with anyone,” Klassen said. “We used that to drive us all off season and all this season as well.”

Fueled by break-out seasons by Klassen -- who has offers from Clemson, Columbia, Duke, Georgetown and Georgia -- and Spevacek, who committed to UGA earlier this week, the Panthers have finished at or near the top of every race this season. After a second-place finish to Brookwood at the Gwinnett County Championships earlier this season, the Panthers won the Region 8-AAAAA crown last weekend. This time, Brookwood finished second.

“I know people usually talk about the football rivalry, but it’s pretty heated in every sport,” Tigue said of the rivalry with Brookwood, led this season by seniors Sean Brennan (No. 18 overall in Georgia), Jackson Wearn (No. 25) and Michael Giuliano (No. 34). “They’ve won nine titles, we’ve won eight. At the county meet, they were better. At the region meet, we were better.”

Spevacek and his six fellow seniors hope they’re better Saturday as well.

“We’ve always said we want to bring a state title back to Parkview, going back to when we were sophomores,” he said. “The time has just flown by, and now that moment is here. We’re going to give it all we’ve got with no regrets.”

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2010 Georgia High School Association Cross Country Championships

When: Saturday

Where: 202 Trojan Drive, in Carrollton (Carrollton High School campus)

Admission: $5

Race schedule: Boys Class A, 8:30 a.m.; Girls A, 9 a.m.; Boys AAAAA, 10 a.m.; Girls AAAAA, 10:30 a.m.; Boys AAA, 11:30 a.m.; Girls AAA, Noon; Boys AAAA, 1 p.m.; Girls AAAA, 1:30 p.m.; Boys AA, 2:30 p.m.; Girls AA, 3 p.m.

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Parkview boys cross country coach James Tigue breaks down his team:

Kyle Gibson – "He's been plagued by injuries a lot in his career, but he's battled through them. He's getting healthy now. As a coach, you really value runners like Kyle on your team."

Alec Klassen – "One of the most focused athletes I've ever coached. Very disciplined. He's a true example of what can happen when you combine talent with hard work and dedication."

Ryan McFall – "Also wrestles and runs track, and so he didn't get to do a lot of training over the summer. But he's so tough. One of the toughest athletes I've ever coached, and he's fun to be around."

Louis Roger – "Extremely coachable. He does everything you ask him to do as a coach, and he always delivers."

Steven Spevacek – "When he came out for the team as a sophomore, he ran so well during the time trial that we thought he cut the course. He's had a great year, and he runs best when it counts."