A year ago, a top seven loaded with underclassmen represented Dallas in the Class AA state final at Hershey, finishing eighth in the 19-team field.
On Saturday, head coach Matt Samuel was back again with five underclassmen. This group of young Mountaineers was not to be denied in 2015, powering their way into the lead midway through the race and claiming the top prize over York Suburban in one of the day's closest decisions.
"I am on cloud nine right now, it's a really great performance by our guys," Samuel said. "I wouldn't say unexpected, but I would say a little bit unexpected. They are just so solid for a young group of boys that we have. For them to run as well as they did today, I am just absolutely ecstatic. It is tremendous. Tremendous."
Positioned third after the opening 1,600 meters (behind Grove City Area and York Suburban), Dallas turned a 31-point deficit on its ear in the second segment. In the midst of the Aloha Hills, the Mountainers found themselves on top of the field, leading the defending champions by 24 in the sudden about-face.
"We knew it was going to be close, but I honestly felt (York Suburban) had a little bit better team," Samuel said. "We have been struggling a little bit lately, but when I was out of the course, we were looking pretty good."
Led once again on the Parkview course by sophomore Jack Zardecki, Dallas put together two tight-knit groups that was just enough to hold back the Trojans, 96-104. Zardecki crossed the line 25th overall in 16:53 and was followed in 13 seconds by classmate Adam Borton (16:58) and junior Jason Culp (17:06).
The other scorers for Dallas (freshmen Stephen Postupak and Mitchel Rome) were only five seconds apart as the new champions had a 1-5 spread of just 47 seconds. That scoring gap was the best of the day from any trophy-winning team and also the only soring margin of less than 60 seconds in that group of 12 teams.
With senior Ally Rome winning the AA girls title earlier in the day, Saturday was a special one for Samuel, who shared an emotional moment with his mother following the team championship.
"I lost my father this past year," the coach said. "He was probably the biggest influence in my life and my hero of many years. He was with me when we thought it was going to be our last state title, and it was really nice to see that.
"I have a picture at home that I see every day before I leave my house to go to school, and it's of him and I hugging after we won our last state title with the girls here in 2013. I was just thinking this morning how great would that be to win this again with a different team."