2014 Tri-Cities Sets New Standard Chris Kane Apr 21, 2014

Hayden Borghetti-Metz of Volunteer HS (left) and Dartanian Oakley from Hardin Valley Academy in the Tony Cosey 2000 Steeplechase. Borghetti-Metz would taking the win leading both to US #2 and #3 times. (Photo credit Eric Roth)

 

In the second year of the Tri-Cities Track Classic, an increase not only in terms of the amount of athletes but also the increase in competition was the talk of the meet. With 19 out 0f 21 girl and 18 out of 21 boy records going down, the 1250 athletes continually produced top marks and personal bests.

Tri-Cities Track Classic Gains Momentum in Year Two Chris Kane Apr 16, 2014

4/16/14 - Johnson City. The 2013 Tri-Cities Track Classic in its inaugural year set the stage for a great meet to come in the future. The 2014 edition will certainly build upon that this year as 1235 athletes hit the starting line in Kermit Tipton Stadium at Science Hill HS. The increase in athletes represents a 100% growth over that first year which proves that the meet has a formula that works. With live video, music and great competition, teams from 8 states from Kentucky to Alabama to South Carolina and Pennsylvania have descended upon the 9 lane track to receive national level exposure.

KYA-CAK Middle School Invitational Sets New Starting Line Chris Kane Feb 25, 2014

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Tennessee, middle school track and field has taken to new heights as evident by the increasing talent level in high school. Knoxville Youth Athletics and Christian Academy of Knoxville sets to show just how great middle school track has become! Never has Knoxville had a Saturday Middle School meet until now. With several events having a prelim and final along with the best competition all spring it will be the final preparation before the championship season. The highlight events will be the special “Bring Back the Mile” girls and boys mile limited to the top 10 entries along with an Elementary School 800 race.

2014 Tri-Cities Track Classic Set to Return Chris Kane Feb 20, 2014

 

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2/16/14 – JOHNSON CITY. In its inaugural year, Knoxville Youth Athletics brought a top level event filled with music, exciting matchups and great finishes all being broadcast on the video board during the two day meet. Evan McCracken was your boys MVP and is set to return to defend his Shot and Discus titles on April 18-19 at Science Hill High School. Other event champions making a return include Emma Mashburn (Markie Voyles girls mile), Adriana Watkins (triple jump), Aaron Templeton (Ray Flynn mile) among others.  Spring Valley (SC – Boys) and Science Hill (TN – Girls) will be primed to defend their team titles. With the inclusion this year of the Tim Mack girls and boys pole vault event, KYA is excited to bring you one of the top meets in the Southeast in one of the top venues in track and field. 

KYA-NYA Vanderbilt Invitational Brings in Top Talent Chris Kane Jan 29, 2014

The entries are in and teams are making final preparations before descending on Nashville for the 1st KYA-NYA Vanderbilt Invitational this Saturday February 1st. With a brand new track, athletes from the Southeast and as far as Maine have been waiting for their opportunity to check out the fast 300 meter oversized Mondo track. #vandyinvite

KYA Athletes Take On The South Region Chris Kane Dec 02, 2013

Knoxville Youth Athletics wrapped up Thanksgiving weekend by making the annual trip to Charlotte, NC for the Footlocker Cross Country South Regional. Over 2800 athletes participated in the meet with 75 of our athletes prepared to compete with many wrapping up their season with one final race. The clear highlight beside the huge amount of PR’s and All-South honors (top 30) was the Seeded Boys race. With only 10 spots for the plane to San Diego and the Footlocker National Championship on the line in two weeks, Aaron Templeton showed he was ready to not only make a return trip but ready to compete for the title.

2013 Tennessee State Championship Meet Recap Chris Kane Oct 20, 2013

This meet was prefaced with what appeared to foresee a lot of fast times and incredible finishes and it lived up that and more at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville October 19th. With Tennessee making their way for the upset over South Carolina 5 miles away, athletes were hoping to duplicate an upset and cement their name as State Champion. With 1200 athletes from over 100 middle school and 50 elementary teams, this was another increase in depth and talent at the state level. 5 races, 4 varsity and one JV, 3 course records, 2 first ever elementary champions and 1 incredible photo finish that people will take years to forget. 

 

2013 Tennessee ES/MS State Meet Preview Chris Kane Oct 16, 2013

Streaks have their beginning and they have their end. That is the theme for this year’s KYA-Tennessee Runner Tennessee Elementary and Middle School State Championship.  The first elementary state champion will be crowned on October 19th issuing a new era that will showcase the next great line of Tennessee stars for years to come.  The level of Tennessee talent in the high school ranks has risen to an all-time level since the start of the middle school state championships. Seeing that meet reach new heights from the increase in Elementary participation will be exciting! This serves as a general breakdown of what each of the varsity races hopes to offer as well as predictions for the top 10 individuals and top 5 teams.

 

 

Knoxville Youth Athletics ES/MS Area Championship Preview Chris Kane Oct 04, 2013

It has all come down to this. A phrase based in complete nonsense until you provide content for it. The “it” is the KYA ES/MS Cross Country Program and the “this” is the Area XC Championship meet which acts as the qualifier for the Tennessee State ES/MS Championships. Qualifier positions are up for grabs and teams will be at their best for the meet October 7-8 at Victor Ashe Park. This (article) is a breakdown on the favorites as well as dark horses for those few qualifying positions.

 

Top Marks Come From KYA HS Indoor Classic Chris Kane Jan 23, 2013

The Knoxville Youth Athletics High School Indoor Classic at East Tennessee State University has always been known to produce top US marks every year and the 2013 edition was no different. Using the large 283 meter track athletes helped rewrite the current US top 20 list. 19 marks have now populated that list with 13 athletes coming away with US top 10 marks.

Delk, Cuneo Win State Championships, Webb Sweeps Team Titles Chris Kane Oct 26, 2012

Over 1000 of the Tennessee’s finest Middle School athletes descended on Knoxville this past Saturday for the Tennessee State Middle School State Championships presented by Knoxville Youth Athletics and TennesseeRunner.com.  Qualifying from five regions across the state, they came in painted up cars bound for Victor Ashe Park which has been the site for the championship all six years of the meet’s existence. 

2012 TennesseeRunner.com/KYA State Middle School XC Championship Meet Preview Chris Kane Oct 15, 2012

In 2006, when the first official Tennessee Middle School State Championship was run (pun intended), 222 athletes and 8 girls/9 boys teams competed for rights for a state title. The meet has grown substantially in terms of numbers with 483 Varsity boys and girls along with 27 girls/23 boys teams vying for that championship plaque. Those numbers do not include a growing JV race as well as Elementary competitors in their own open race. As we turn to this year’s installment this Saturday, October 20th at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville, there are some individuals as well as teams that hope to cement their place in the only race where one can state that they are truly State Champion.

2011 Tennessee State Middle School Championships Preview Chris Kane Oct 20, 2011

As the leaves turn colors and fall to the ground cross country season also turns to championship season.  On October 22nd at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville 1000 competitors from Memphis to Bristol and from Chattanooga to Dyersburg will take to the line to settle the all important question of who is the fastest middle school runner in the state.  Make no mistake that this meet ends up giving us a preview of what is to come once they arrive to high school so coaches, take interest. Runners like Brock Baker, Andrew Ogle, Molly Foster and Hannah Denton who are tearing up the high school circuit today were all once a precocious 13-14 year old with dreams of a state championship.  So as we approach this year’s edition, who will be the next big thing in Tennessee? Let’s take a look at how the regional championships unfolded:

Me and Eric Grubb Chris Kane Jul 09, 2006

My freshman year was one of those years where, like many freshman, I had quite a transition to high school track. In those times I thought breaking five minutes for the mile was hollowed ground and never broke it until sophomore year. In fact, my best time that year was 5:08 in a two mile!

Me and Zach Moss Chris Kane Jun 29, 2006

I first met him in a 1500 at a KTC Saturday development meet. We were both 10 but he had to be about six inches taller than me, at least. He was a giant compared too little old me. Zach murdered me in that 1500, I do not remember the times but I am pretty sure that I was close too last place.

Me and Michael Danehy Chris Kane Jun 25, 2006

I believe the first time we ran together was on a 4X800 for the KTC competitive team in the AAU Junior Olympics at Eastern Michigan University. I had run on the team in the regional but did not run at JOs because Jay Oatts was a couple of seconds faster at the time.

My First Article Chris Kane Jun 22, 2006

I had a sudden thought to write a series of articles dedicated to local East Tennessee runners and the relationships that I have had with them over the years. I hope someone does the same for the Middle and East portions of the state.