Midlothian Trojans' Natural Resources

     By Fred Jeter

In old days, the Midlothian area was famous for its coal mines. Nowadays, it

has a reputation for pouring on the coals – on the foot-racin’ tracks and trails.        

Midlothian High coach Stan Morgan retired from classroom teaching a few years

back, but says he’ll “never retire” from coaching.

       And why should he? The prospects, including precocious freshmen Sean

       Willard and Marie Johnston, are that good.

       Talk about natural resources; the Midlo area has a rich vein of distance

runners.  Morgan’s spike brigade had accounted for eight State Group AAA titles

for track and country … and that mine shaft of athleticism isn’t closing anytime

soon.   “I could be out riding my (dirt) bike,” said the veteran Trojans

track/cross-country mentor. “But I’ll keep going as long as they’ll let me.

       “Joe Paterno is still coaching and what’s he … 80-something?”

        Morgan has coached “probably 7-8 individual state champs,” but says

Willard and Johnston already are in the conversation with the most gifted

ever.  “Sean ranks with the best, and I’ve had a lot of good ones,” said

Morgan of Willard. “He’s right up there with Austin Smith, the Witts (Ryan and Jason),

the D’Amato’s (Anthony, Mike) and Brayden Burleigh.”

         Willard was second (to Mills Godwin’s Grant Pollock) at 1,000 meters

(2:40.47) at the Central Region championships Feb. 20 at Arthur Ashe Center.

         That qualified the 128-pounder for his first State Indoor meet Feb. 27 at

Boo Williams Complex in Hampton.

         Willard’s runner-up Region showing was matched and then topped by

fellow ninth-grader Johnston, who earned two seconds, in the 1,000 (3:06.7) and 1,600         

(5:12.3).

         “Marie is unbelievable,” said Morgan. “She is so new to racing that she

thinks she’s a no-body … but she’s really something special.”

          Johnston was to run the 1,000 only at States.

The names Willard and Johnston carry a familiar ring in Midlo racing

circles.  Sean’s oldest sisters, Tierney, ran on some state-champion relays

for Morgan’s program. His other sister, Krista, is a junior standout now for

the Trojans.  “I remember watching Tierney, and it looked like fun,” said Willard,

who is the grandson of former NFL running back Ken Willard.

         “My sisters motivated me.”

          There were early signs of brilliance.

          Willard was only five years old when he was allowed to compete in the

fifth-grade mile run at Winding Springs Elementary School in Charlotte.

Racing kids about five years older and head and shoulders taller, Sean

was second overall … behind sister Tierney.

 Talk about sibling motivation, Johnston had plenty to observe in older

sister Paige (now at Arkansas), a 10-time State champion.

“Already, Marie is running times comparable to Paige (as freshmen),

even though she’s green as grass,” says Morgan.  

Marie’s first love was soccer.

“Paige had to talk me into running,” said Marie. “I love running but I

haven’t decided which one I want to do most. I love ‘em both.

“The advantage to running is that I’m more in control … you can’t

control a soccer game.”

It helps that Marie and Krista Willard are best of friends and are known

to “bet a candy bar” on who is first to the finish line.

Johnston plans to juggle soccer and track this spring for the Trojans.

 Willard was a soccer-to-track convert while in middle school. At

Midlothian Middle, he was a two-time County cross-country and 1,600 track

champ.

 “As I started to have a little success, it motivated me to work harder …

and that keeps it fun,” said Willard.

No varsity apprenticeship was necessary with Willard and Johnston.

           This past cross-country season, Johnston was fifth at Regions and ninth

at States, helping Midlo to a State runner-up finish.

Willard was 13^th at Regions and 33^rd at States as the Trojans’ boys

were third in Group AAA.

There is never a shortage of determined training partners at Midlo. As

swift as Willard and Johnston, they are no more than second among

Trojans. Senior Kathleen Lautzenheiser was Region champ and third at

cross-country States this past fall. Burleigh, a junior, was third at States.

Morgan has enjoyed the area’s elite distance running program for a long

time. And his mine shaft remains fertile as ever.

“All I do,” says Morgan, “is fine-tune the machine.” 

February 24, 2010