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Show Track Was His Game Was Cooper A Sensation and By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports - LAYTON There was something at Layton High this spring that could rival the school's artists finest piece of work. And at the same time it could fool you as perhaps an g earth-shakin- explosion from nearby Hill Field. And finally this something was probably as breathtaking as your first view of Niagra Falls. THIS BEAUTIFUL, explosive and breathtaking masterpiece happened to be a guy by the name of Myron Cooper. Coopers starts to finishes in tracks 400 and 800 meters were simply spectacular, at least as descriptive as the things just mentioned. And not only were they spectacular, they were also good enough to put him in the record books as the 1983 champion in both events. 4-- A MYRONS HEROICS this spring did much for the school, but perhaps not nearly as much as they did for himself. He came to Layton High just prior to his junior year and at that time, nobody but the schools registrar knew he was around. He and his older brother, Mike, were just another two in a big, big crowd. But its much different now. Because of a track coaches divine interest in him and many long hours of grueling hard work, Myron will never be forgotten when sports fans get together to talk about the greats that have come and gone through Layton High. Hell always rank with the Charles Wallers, the Chuck Ehins, the Dave Burkes, the Brandon Flints and all the other athletic greats. AFTER TWO brilliant years at Layton, Myron graduated last week and will head a little further south to attend the University of Utah where Mike, his older brother, now stars. Myrons heroics had the 1600 other students filled to the brim with excitement. Theres no doubt that at least in his final couple of weeks as a Lancer, hardly anyone rivaled him in popularity. BUT THE beginning to this story wasnt as pretty as the finish. Myron states when he first got to Layton (his parents moved to Hill Field in a military transfer) he had no idea in the world it would turn out like this. After football my junior year, coach (Russ Jones) asked me and Mike to try out for track the next spring. But by the time indoor track started, we seriously tried to hide from Coach Jones, because we didnt want to run. BUT HE finally caught up with us and had us out there. Its really funny because I didnt even want to run but deep down inside I wanted to do something to make up for the bad year Id had in football. I didnt want to run because it was the fear of messing up and going into my senior year a flub, Myron remembered. But success bred success for the two brothers as last spring they quickly became the talk of the school. At home Mike and Myron were constantly talking about doing better, breaking some records if they could. MIKES TALENT emerged in the 400, 200 100 meters while Myron was a blaze in the 800. While Myron enjoyed undaunted success this year, Mike went on to join the Ute track team and finished the season sixth in the WAC in the 400 meters with his best time being clocked at 47.9 in the 400 meters. It was a coaches dream come true to have a couple of kids like that come along, remembered Russ Jones, who just finished his fourth year as the head track coach. It was especially surprising to see their success when they really hadnt ever run competitively in their lives. IF YOU REALLY want to know a couple of things that motivated Myron to make his senior year a splash, youd have to go back to his junior year at the state meet where Alan Parker had taken first in the 800 meters. But it was the second-plac- e tie that motivated Myron, at least he thought it should have ended in a tie. I believe Jace (Brewer, Hillcrests talented star who was also a junior) and I were tied for second at 1:56:56, but in a coin flip they gave second to Brewer. I WANTED to come back my senior year and get him so bad, it was a passion with me, said Myron. And he did. Cooper won the 800 meters in style two weeks ago and Brewer was way back in the pack finishing fourth. Just moments before winning the 800, Myron had captured the 400 meters in a disappointing time of 50.62. I think that bad time there, boosted me to do better in the 800, he said. I still havent come down to earth yet, said Myron. In a way I know Im the state champion, but itll take some time to sink in. NOW ITS on to the U. of U. where he and Mike will be competing against each other once again. Itll be tough beating him, but you have to remember that like at Layton, hell graduate before I will, leaving at least one year where Ill do my thing. Coach (Mike) Jones says he likes my chances in the 400 and 800 and says Ill have a chance to run the mile relay, said Myron. THE GLORY is breathtaking according to Myron, who was voted the MVP of the Layton High track team hands down. Those medals are something that will never be taken away, theyre mine, he said. No other person than Russ Jones himself, could be prouder of the accomplishments garnered by Myron. He too remembers the difficulty in getting the Cooper brothers out for track, but that is quickly overshadowed by the significant things that took place soon after. Myron Cooper staged a late season show in prep middle distance races that simply went into the record books as amazing. SUCCESS KEPT them coming out for track but more than that, it was the immediate acceptance by the other students. They (the students) started saying to themselves, those guys are good. Once Myron and Mike found their groove, it was just keeping them in shape to do bigger and better things. The competition between Mike and Myron last year was a key too. I think Myron would have gone a straight 800 had it not been for Mike running the 400. Myron always wanted a chance to try and beat Mike there. Of course Myrons competition against guys like Bubba Conley of Clearfield this year, also kept him going. There were times that I tried to pull him IT WAS LIKE I had to go way out of my way to talk them into coming out, said Jones, But today you couldnt get them away from the track. Myron has grown up with the success. Students, faculty and administrators appreciate his maturity. I couldnt go a day without having some teacher tell me how good a student he was and how they were following his success on the track. The kid has really come out of his shell. out of the 400 for other reasons, but he always wanted to run against Bubba or someone else. MYRON COOPER has done Layton High track a big favor in getting track aroused here. People will always remember Charles Waller here, but I can guarantee they'll never forget Myron either. You couldnt separate the two. I love the kid. After losing the mile relay at state, Myron was bawling because hed like to have won that. I went down to him and put my arm around him and told him right there he was the best athlete Id ever seen. We both started crying, It was the best place to share some emotions together. IT WAS breathtaking this year to see Myron gut it up in the homestretch. You could tell when he was going into his kick because his head would swing back and forth and that meant he was serious. Myrons the greatest athlete Ive ever had and Ill never forget him as long as I live. Ill never forget the track heroics, but Ill also never forget how track as a whole changed his entire life socially. Maybe track had something to do with him coming out of his shell. ILL NEVER forget him, concluded Jones. Sweet And Sour Of Past Years Sports One State Championship and eight region titles garner the accomplishments of northern schools. By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports prep The sweet and sours of the 1982-8- 3 when sweetest the been have scene may sports teams and individuals conquered everything in their way to gamer state championships. There were sours too, but the sweets always outtaste Next was Davis Shawn Robinson who as a junior and after a long, hard summer of hard work, won all the marbles in the class of the wrestling tournament. 4-- 105-pou- LAST BUT surely not least was Laytons confidence Myron Cooper whose rock-soli- d him to state championships in powered tracks 400 and 800 meter events. Myron is now off to the University of Utah where hell join his brother Mike. Outside the elite state championship bracket came a total of eight team region titles taken by local teams. One LAYTON TOOK top honors in Region baseball. and swimming, wrestling cross Clearfield was tops in Region One field. and track and country THE DARTS were superior in Region Fou. football, wrestling and soccer. The following is a compilation of some of the sweetest and some of the sourest events of all: The least expected and most unlikely This had to be Davis Highs 28-- 0 victory over View-moin football. The Vikes were a good team 4-- A the sour. ALL THERE was one team state title that came from northern Davis County, and it came with time running out on the school year. It win a happened to be the Davis Darts turn to six make to which helped soccer championship LN a sweet years of coaching for Bruce Bitner, treat indeed. Three other preps, one each from Clearfield, Davis and Layton Highs, also saw unlimited glory as their wildest dreams became realities. IT WAS the Falcons J.C. VonCollin giving it the supreme effort in both the shot put and track. He won the state title in discus in both events and now prepares for a football career at BYU. 4-- A nt and even though some expected Davis to upset them, the final outcome had everyone stunned. THE BIGGEST motivation to win" perhaps it was the V that someone planted in the middle of Davis football field. The Guys to Keep a look out for next year Three of the finest junior athletes in the area had to be Davis Ryan Smith, Layton's Tom Kidd and Clearfield's Jeff Parry. - Davis' cross NICE TRY but no respect country team tried like heck to beat Viewmont, but never could. Nice try and lots of respect Clearfield finally ousted the Bonneville Lakers as the top team in Region One cross country. BEST but worst season this one to the Clearfield High basketball team who lost to Woods Cross (state champ) n but failed to make the by a point in in playoffs league play. - Nothing could Best Individual Efforts, Davis Shawn Robinson who was brilliant top in his march toward the state championship in the 105 wrestling class, other than perhaps Laytons Myron Coopers surge in track and field where he was a blaze in winning 400 and 800 meter events all year long. -- - -- - PRE-SEASO- -- best in his sport was Davis' Brian Bacon who MVP honors in soccer. captured 4Most consistent effort" - Whats new! Clearfield track does it again by winning their fourth consecutive title in track. Layton baseball is starting to scratch with the Eagles too after taking their second region title in three years. -' -- - People TALENT AND Talent to spare like Clearfields J.C. VonCollin in football and track and Laytons Chuck Berwold in tennis would be hard to match in pure talent. -- RecBest Womens sports team efforts ognition is well deserved to Davis and Clearfields track and field teams where Ann Avon-dand Roger Burhley did super jobs. Davis BIGGEST Surprises of the year Highs football success, going 0 in region would be hard to match. Exn effort by a team" Best n showings were posted by citing the Davis Darts who won the state soccer title. In addition youd have to agree that Laytons basketball sweeping of their final three in had rank the tournament to up there games too. Give Laytons wrestling team a nod here too after taking second in state and Clearfieldsi track team after taking third. d Ths THE BEST kid on the block sports personality who was voted the et 5-- - Post-Seaso- post-seaso- 4-- A - distin-quishe- MOST NOTABLE Big Athlete" - Clear- fields J.C. VonCollin. Most Notable Small Athlete" - Give it to the Davis Dart's football team. ON TO Bigger and Better Things - Clearfield's VonCollin to BYU, Laytons Myron Cooper to the University of Utah, Laytons Jerry Cooper to Weber State and Layton's Chuck Berwold. All of these athletes go to college on full ride scholarships. "Team hoping for biggest rebound next Davis Dart basketball team. year BEST INDIVIDUAL match-up- s Davis Nate Hinckley and Tracy Jones in wrestling and Lav tons Myron Cooper against anyone of 4' vi meter aces. Cie. -- - - ! - |