Remembering Stillwater's Magnificent Seven: 20 Years Later
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- In an upstairs room in his house in Stillwater, Scott Christensen keeps the memories tucked away and preserved for safekeeping.
Memories of a legendary team he coached that still resonates, with an almost mythical reverence, in the Minnesota running community.
A group of kids that came to be collectively known as The Magnificent Seven: Greg Wikelius, Luke Watson, Sean Graham, Pete Prince, Joe Solomonson, Jon Francis and Chris Boldt.
"It put a smile on my face when I first heard it," Christensen said. "Certainly, you know, brings back some good memories."
The 1997 Stillwater boys' cross-country team is widely considered the greatest in state history -- and one of the all-time greats nationwide.
Heading into the state meet that year, their coach knew they were something special.
"We were rated first in the country, we've been rated first in the state for more than three years," Christensen said.
But not even they thought a day like this was in the cards.
"I didn't think we would be that good," he said.
Christensen says that magical day was a cold one.
"Very chilly, it was under 30 degrees," he said. "The gun went off and [we had) an excellent start."
In cross country, seven runners from each team run the race, with the top five counting toward the team score.
"And by two miles, two thirds of the way through it, we had four in the top 10," he said. "At that point you're thinking, 'There isn't anybody that can beat us.'"
Stillwater won the state title with 35 points, an incredible score, and one of the lowest ever.
But that was not even what made their performance so truly special: all seven runners finished in the top 37.
There have been lower scores. Minneapolis South holds the Class 2A record with 29 in 1991. But no other team had that level of top-to-bottom dominance -- and not even close.
That '91 South team, for comparison, had all seven in the top 80.
Stillwater's seven in the top 37 was truly magnificent.
"They were just really good," Christensen said. "[They've] gone on to do such wonderful things."
But for the six who remain, and their coach, the bond between them, and the memories of what they did that day, are as important as ever.
"We had the ecstasy of that day, but then we've had the other side of life, too, that we've continued to live together," he said. "I've watched them grow up, but it doesn't seem like 20 years ago."
All seven were offered Division I scholarships.
Christensen says he's just as proud of what they've all done as adults.