All four of the famous "2004 Toga 4" make it to NCAA Nationals

Please explain the "2004 Toga 4" for me?

They were all part of the 2004 Saratoga, New York girls high school team, quite possibly the best girl's high school team ever. Coached by the Kranick's (correct me someone, if I'm wrong), a lot of critics believe Saratoga overtrains their teams. I've heard stories but 4 making DI national is impressive for one high school team. But it did take a while for them to get there. Maybe a little bit of "de-programming"? But they were all incredible in high school...

Thanks for the clarification.

The "Toga 4" were charged with a BS crime because they were white. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh went to Saratoga Springs and held protests until they were freed.

For more clarification, they all made Footlocker Nationals in 2004. FROM THE SAME SCHOOL. What the heck!?

They never swept the NY State Class AA meet, however... just as we are applauding their performance, they are being replaced as "best HS team ever".

That said, the fact that all four of them will most likely be at nationals (I bet PSU will get the bid) is quite impressive and surprising.

This is great to see

I have to say, I was so happy to see Nicole Blood win Pac-10s. For all the crap that was said about her since she was in like 7th grade, that was just incredible to see. Must have felt great.

I don't think Blood and at least one of the others ran for the Saratoga team, not for all four years anyway. Anybody know the story?

If so, so much for validating the coaches...

That's o.k. I guess, for HS kiddies ;-) Now if all 4 medalled at the Olympics / IAAF Outdoors and/or won a Major, then that would be something of note.

Blood and Lane(?) both left. Can't remember why.

irunxc wrote:

Please explain the "2004 Toga 4" for me?

Imagine a team with 4 girls better than the #1 runner for FM this year. That was Saratoga in 2004.

In a 5runner sport how crappy was # 5 to excluded from recognition? Toga4 plus Miss Nowhas Imageissues.

themanontherun wrote:

irunxc wrote:

Please explain the "2004 Toga 4" for me?

Imagine a team with 4 girls better than the #1 runner for FM this year. That was Saratoga in 2004.

The fifth girl was very good as well, it's just that these four all made it to footlocker nationals back when there was no dilution due to team nationals.

the letter why wrote:

The fifth girl was very good as well, it's just that these four all made it to footlocker nationals back when there was no dilution due to team nationals.

But it is due to NTN that Lane and I believe Davidson made it.

Quit the team? wrote:

I don't think Blood and at least one of the others ran for the Saratoga team, not for all four years anyway. Anybody know the story?

If so, so much for validating the coaches...

blood was there from 7th grade xc through 11th indoor

lane, the only one who wasn't top-5 in her region this year, was only in the saratoga program for 9th grade xc and indoor

Young Sleezy wrote:

But it is due to NTN that Lane and I believe Davidson made it.

not true. they were 1-3-5-6-28 at footlocker northeast in 2004

Not sure what you are referring to. There was a way to qualify for FLN by placing in the top 2 from your region at NTN for a couple of years, but this certainly was not the case for either Lane or Davidson. All 4 qualified for footlockers in the traditional way of placing in the top eighth as regionals. Blood was first, Davidson 3rd, Ferguson 5th, and Lane 6th....It should be noted that their 5th at the state meet was ahead of lane, and had a bad race a FLNE...toga very well could have had a full scoring squag at footlockers in 2004

thanks for the review...that is a incredible story. Four to footlocker from the same HS....truthly remarkable!

I remember Davidson slightly, what I remember the most was how skinny she was.

ntdrktnredtselt wrote:

Not sure what you are referring to. There was a way to qualify for FLN by placing in the top 2 from your region at NTN for a couple of years, but this certainly was not the case for either Lane or Davidson. All 4 qualified for footlockers in the traditional way of placing in the top eighth as regionals. Blood was first, Davidson 3rd, Ferguson 5th, and Lane 6th....It should be noted that their 5th at the state meet was ahead of lane, and had a bad race a FLNE...toga very well could have had a full scoring squag at footlockers in 2004

That was more a case of Lane having a bad race. Delay was a great runner, but not quite FL Finalist caliber, barring a great race for her, or a weak year (that year was super deep, and fairly stacked).

here's a great read--

http://www.dyestat.com/3us/4xc/NTN/meet/saratoga-bestever.htm

"On the first weekend in October, the famed Blue Streak wheeled across the sloping terrain at North Carolina's SAS Park to compeletely overwhelm the top-rate competition... averaging just 18:03 per scoring runner on the 5k layout in scoring a miniscule 26 points while competing against a talented 22-team field!...While spectators gawked at the eye-socket popping results from that day, the Saratoga Springs husband-and-wife coaching team of Art and Linda Kranick quietly declared later that day: 'There were several things we could have done better in the race. This is not indicative of how good we can be.'"

predict they would've been between NC State (then ranked #20, ended up 12th at ncaas) and UVA (then ranked #31) in the college race at Great American