Mays, the head coach of the Coal Grove Hornets, proved very prophetic before Tuesday’s Ohio Valley Conference cross country meet at the Collins Career Center as he addressed his team.

Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Mays, the head coach of the Coal Grove Hornets, proved very prophetic before Tuesday’s Ohio Valley Conference cross country meet at the Collins Career Center as he addressed his team.

The Hornets must have listened to his words as they edged the Chesapeake Panthers to win the league meet.

"I told them before we started I thought we had a chance, and they gave all they had," said Mays. "I was very proud of them."

Both Coal Grove and Chesapeake had 43 points, but Coal Grove won because of their sixth man’s score. Chesapeake did not have a sixth man.

The Panthers Scott Wellman was the individual champion with a 19:11 time as he edged the Hornets Isaac Wood by 10 seconds.

"Isaac Wood did an excellent job. With the conditions the way they were being wet, they all ran a careful, strong race. Our kids don’t start out fast. They’re steady. When the other runners started to drop back, our boys kept coming. They ran with a lot of heart," said Mays.

Chesapeake had three of the top five runners as Ryan Slone ran 19:40 to place third and Eddie Neel’s 19:56 time was fifth.

But Coal Grove’s Eric Tackett was ninth and David Webb, Ryan Young, Josh Collins, and Steve Bruce finished 11-14. Chesapeake’s Danny Wassell was 19th and Scott Perry 21st.

Mays, who was an assistant to Dave Waller, was in his second season as the Hornets head coach. The OVC title earned him the league Coach of the Year honor.

"I really liked working with coach Waller. I’d like to start another tradition with these kids. It’s all just starting to sink in. It’s really exciting. I’m just really happy for the kids. They went for it and worked hard," said Mays.

‘The best way to describe this team is they’re just a great bunch of kids who like to run. They never complain."

Chesapeake came in as the defending champion. Coach Ben Coleman had nothing but praise for the Hornets.

"They did a great job and I can’t say enough about coach Mays. He’s a great guy and there’s no one I would rather see win besides us than him. All the coaches in this league are great guys who do a good job," Coleman said.

The All-OVC first team consisted of Wellman, Wood, Slone, Rock Hill’s Jason Hosey, Neel, South Point’s Andy Maynard, Fairland’s James Daniels, and Rock Hill’s Joe Fuhr. Honorable mentions were Tackett and Rock Hill’s Joe Aldridge.

In the girls’ meet, Chelsea Walls of Fairland ran a 24:13 and won her third straight conference title. Rachael Roloson of South Point was second to join Walls on the All-OVC first team while Candace Hall of Chesapeake was third to earn honorable mention.