Darlington huddles before the start of the AA Girls race in 2014.
Private schools absolutely will rule this Class again, swallowing up the top 6 spots early in a sub-league of their own. Look for Lovett to be in the All-Class Rankings and beating top 6A squads in big Invites. Very similar in nature to most of the top 10 teams on the Boys side. After top 5, the gap widens (at least on paper) #6-10 teams are closely grouped and could make big gains if the summer mileage and toughness prevails. Lovett is clearly an odds on favorite to defend their title.
*AA Subjective Rankings ( Based on 3200 times very limited, last years state, and returners)*
Lovett: The Class of AA, all I can say is.... watch out All-Class teams. Great track season and super low 29 points from 2014 state championship put this team way out in front. It might be a case of how good can these ladies be instead of if they get caught. Returning their top 6 including AA distance stud Serena Tripodi and All-Staters Elizabeth Beveridge and Mara Davis.
Darlington: After being edged at state for 2nd by one measley point, look for this team to be highly motivated to chase after Lovett and beat Wesleyan. Graduated 2 that made All-State in 2014, but look for AA Individual runnerup in XC/3200 Stephanie Ward to lead the Tigers charge. Emily Edwards and Mamie Johnson return with solid State experience.
Wesleyan: After losing several key runners to graduation the Lady Wolves have a slight gap to close on the front 2. However, never underestimate this traditionall strong program as they always contend, and it doesn't hurt their home course rivals Carrollton in difficulty. Top returners are Seniors Ella Bradach and Kylie Reed who placed 12th/13th at State.
Holy Innocents: Looking to repeat podium performance and even improve from 2014 4th place. HI will need to find some depth at 5-7. But, fortunately a very large successful MS program may fill some holes. Top returners for the Bears are Bryn Foster, Ileana Zeissner and Evan Null.
St. Vincents Academy: Good returning team but this groups biggest challenge should be finding some hills in flat land. They might have to search out some bridges with enough elevation change to prep them for state. Return their top 5 from 2014, should be led by Sarah Kathryn Boyles and Emilye Eischeid.
Pace Academy: Looks like a great tight pack for scoring so if they can move up they might be able to beat out some of the top 5 teams. Graduated their 2-4 runners but have back top harrier Julia Ross and possibly a new tight bunch of 2-5 runners. Compete in a very tough region.
Bremen: Leader Grace Clements might challenge for individual honors, but she might be best used in the leadership category by getting her team ready for the state meet. Good news is they do return 6 of their top 7 so they have a core with State experience to build with.
Model: After finishing with #8 ranking last year the team from Model looks to build on the success of 2014. The Blue Devis should push Bremen for a Region title returning their top 7 and have a frontrunner in sophonore Carah Arrant who placed 11th at State in 2014.
Thomasville: Thomasville has had one of the better Girls programs in deep South Georgia for several seasons now. Their entire top 7 may be back..I used to live down there and its hillier than you think just south of the city...Lets see if the ladies in the 23-24 minute range put in some good summer mileage, if so look for this pack to be in the 21-22 range and jumping the rankings each week. Rebekah Smith is their top runner.
Bleckley County- There's just no way the Royals can't be in the pre-season rankings as they almost always win their region (Lamar County 2014) have good coaching and a nice course to train on. Placed 9th at State but Sr Ellen Powell is back to lead the younger runners. Return 5 of their top 7.
*2A Girls Teams by Fastest Team Average from 2014 XC Season (Courses Vary)*
| 1 | Lovett (GA) | 29 | ||
| 1) Serena Tripodi | 17:57.20 | 1 | ||
| 2) Emma Sidman | 19:35.79 | 3 | ||
| 3) Mara Davis | 19:59.00 | 5 | ||
| 4) Carolyn Bland | 20:04.77 | 7 | ||
| 5) Elizabeth Beveridge | 20:28.39 | 13 | ||
| Average Time: 19:37.03 Total Time: 1:38:05.15 1-5 Split: 2:31.19 | ||||
| 6) Avery Courts | 20:52.65 | 19 | ||
| 7) Wendy Harrison | 20:59.19 | 22 | ||
| 2 | Darlington School (GA) | 66 | ||
| 1) Stephanie Ward | 18:31.91 | 2 | ||
| 2) Emily Edwards | 20:03.50 | 6 | ||
| 3) Mamie Johnson | 20:24.10 | 12 | ||
| 4) Kate Flory | 20:38.24 | 15 | ||
| 5) Annaliese Clevenger | 21:51.40 | 31 | ||
| Average Time: 20:17.83 Total Time: 1:41:29.15 1-5 Split: 3:19.49 | ||||
| 6) Andrea Riano | 21:53.13 | 33 | ||
| 7) Jade Cox | 22:15.18 | 39 | ||
| 3 | Wesleyan School (GA) | 126 | ||
| 1) Ellie Bradach | 20:38.67 | 16 | ||
| 2) Kylie Reed | 20:49.84 | 18 | ||
| 3) Anna Brown | 21:43.21 | 28 | ||
| 4) Nicole Fasciana | 21:48.98 | 30 | ||
| 5) Nikki Villa | 21:54.37 | 34 | ||
| Average Time: 21:23.01 Total Time: 1:46:55.07 1-5 Split: 1:15.70 | ||||
| 6) Sophia Kidder | 22:15.48 | 40 | ||
| 7) Beck Coxhead | 22:21.45 | 43 | ||
| 4 | Holy Innocents' Episcopal School (GA) | 131 | ||
| 1) Bryn Foster | 20:16.38 | 9 | ||
| 2) Ileana Zeissner | 20:44.00 | 17 | ||
| 3) Evan Null | 21:18.10 | 24 | ||
| 4) Megan Roddenbery | 21:36.67 | 27 | ||
| 5) Annabel Ward | 23:03.44 | 54 | ||
| Average Time: 21:23.72 Total Time: 1:46:58.59 1-5 Split: 2:47.06 | ||||
| 6) Maggie Siegel | 23:32.88 | 61 | ||
| 7) Kaitlyn Love | 24:23.89 | 79 | ||
| 5 | St. Vincent's Academy (SVA) (GA) | 149 | ||
| 1) Sara Kathryn Boyles | 20:54.00 | 20 | ||
| 2) Emilye Eischeid | 21:05.11 | 23 | ||
| 3) Lauren O'Hearn | 21:34.19 | 25 | ||
| 4) Isabelle Macdonald | 21:55.00 | 35 | ||
| 5) Erin O'Hearn | 22:32.00 | 46 | ||
| Average Time: 21:36.06 Total Time: 1:48:00.30 1-5 Split: 1:38.00 | ||||
| 6) Mary Margaret McCarthy | 25:02.00 | 92 | ||
| 7) Mirada Christensen | 25:02.31 | 93 | ||
| 6 | Bremen High School (GA) | 210 | ||
| 1) Grace Clements | 19:58.38 | 4 | ||
| 2) Amberly Rogers | 22:11.93 | 38 | ||
| 3) Taylor Wallace | 22:31.87 | 45 | ||
| 4) Jessica Boyd | 23:17.61 | 57 | ||
| 5) Hannah Nicholson | 23:59.61 | 66 | ||
| Average Time: 22:23.88 Total Time: 1:51:59.40 1-5 Split: 4:01.23 | ||||
| 6) Brook Whitley | 25:15.51 | 96 | ||
| 7) Jordan Davis | 25:38.40 | 100 | ||
| 7 | Pace Academy (GA) | 210 | ||
| 1) Julia Ross | 20:20.29 | 11 | ||
| 2) Jilly Paul | 22:20.44 | 42 | ||
| 3) Molly Richardson | 22:42.96 | 50 | ||
| 4) Sophie Blasberg | 22:48.32 | 52 | ||
| 5) Carlee Pokalsky | 23:03.92 | 55 | ||
| Average Time: 22:15.19 Total Time: 1:51:15.93 1-5 Split: 2:43.63 | ||||
| 6) MaryBrooks Perkey | 23:20.69 | 59 | ||
| 7) Caroline Hardison | 24:51.73 | 87 | ||
| 8 | Model (GA) | 230 | ||
| 1) Carah Arrant | 20:17.17 | 10 | ||
| 2) Alex Quarles | 21:43.73 | 29 | ||
| 3) Yazmine Miranda | 23:20.01 | 58 | ||
| 4) Kennedy Boswell | 23:33.21 | 63 | ||
| 5) Makayla Keasler | 24:07.23 | 70 | ||
| Average Time: 22:36.27 Total Time: 1:53:01.35 1-5 Split: 3:50.06 | ||||
| 6) Jacqueline Vicente | 25:29.87 | 99 | ||
| 7) Caroline Maynard | 26:10.62 | 110 | ||
| 9 | Thomasville High School (GA) | 321 | ||
| 1) Rebekah Smith | 20:57.78 | 21 | ||
| 2) Jacara Hayes | 23:00.36 | 53 | ||
| 3) Rebecca Jane White | 24:18.39 | 74 | ||
| 4) Demetria Miley | 24:44.68 | 84 | ||
| 5) Lehana Morrell | 24:54.27 | 89 | ||
| Average Time: 23:35.10 Total Time: 1:57:55.48 1-5 Split: 3:56.49 | ||||
| 6) Miyah Beard | 25:08.51 | 95 | ||
| 7) Jaylen Davis | 26:54.35 | 119 | ||
| 10 | Union County HS (GA) | 333 | ||
| 1) Emma Garrison | 21:53.00 | 32 | ||
| 2) Stephanie Busse | 23:42.80 | 64 | ||
| 3) Anna Danek | 23:46.80 | 65 | ||
| 4) Cora Bauman | 24:05.90 | 69 | ||
| 5) Kaitlyn Gallagher | 25:41.50 | 103 | ||
| Average Time: 23:50.00 Total Time: 1:59:10.00 1-5 Split: 3:48.50 | ||||
| 6) Raphael a Aleman | 25:47.20 | 105 | ||
| 7) Addie Murphy | 26:37.50 | 115 | ||
| 11 | Social Circle High School (GA) | 349 | ||
| 1) Heather Penley | 22:37.70 | 49 | ||
| 2) Alyssa Ervin | 22:47.60 | 51 | ||
| 3) Clara Ervin | 23:29.90 | 60 | ||
| 4) Adoris Gibbs | 25:01.30 | 91 | ||
| 5) Avery Babb | 25:27.60 | 98 | ||
| Average Time: 23:52.82 Total Time: 1:59:24.10 1-5 Split: 2:49.90 | ||||
| 6) Marlee Ruark | 25:40.90 | 102 | ||
| 7) Courtney Davis | 28:25.80 | 134 | ||
| 12 | Bleckley County High School (GA) | 353 | ||
| 1) Ellen Powell | 20:38.00 | 14 | ||
| 2) Jahnaria Brown | 22:37.00 | 47 | ||
| 3) Tori Deeson | 23:33.00 | 62 | ||
| 4) Erica Rickerson | 26:14.00 | 112 | ||
| 5) Victoria Paulk | 26:53.00 | 118 | ||
| Average Time: 23:59.00 Total Time: 1:59:55.00 1-5 Split: 6:15.00 | ||||
| 6) Lindsay Thompson | 28:16.21 | 132 | ||
| 7) Maggie Collins | 29:17.38 | 146 | ||
| 13 | Greater Atlanta Christian (GA) | 385 | ||
| 1) Abby Kettle | 20:05.00 | 8 | ||
| 2) Caitlin Galvin | 22:28.07 | 44 | ||
| 3) Taylor Key | 24:16.86 | 72 | ||
| 4) Laura Fey | 28:07.00 | 130 | ||
| 5) Dana Markert | 28:13.27 | 131 | ||
| Average Time: 24:38.04 Total Time: 2:03:10.20 1-5 Split: 8:08.27 | ||||
| 6) Kathryn McGaughey | 30:56.60 | 161 | ||
| 7) Kyra Posey | 31:32.66 | 165 | ||
| 14 | Berrien County HS (GA) | 404 | ||
| 1) Janna Jernigan | 22:37.45 | 48 | ||
| 2) Alice Sensenbrenner | 24:23.50 | 78 | ||
| 3) Maggie Harper | 24:32.19 | 82 | ||
| 4) Kennedy Jackson | 24:53.52 | 88 | ||
| 5) Maggie Harper | 25:53.19 | 108 | ||
| Average Time: 24:27.97 Total Time: 2:02:19.85 1-5 Split: 3:15.74 | ||||
| 6) Jessica Paul | 26:22.26 | 113 | ||
| 7) Brooke Griffin | 28:57.66 | 141 | ||
| 15 | Lamar County High School (GA) | 481 | ||
| 1) Ashley Canon | 22:19.00 | 41 | ||
| 2) Margaret Henry | 24:01.00 | 67 | ||
| 3) Tamara Nale | 24:25.00 | 81 | ||
| 4) Kayleigh Swanson | 26:37.66 | 116 | ||
| 5) Claire Ctibor | 33:46.57 | 176 | ||
| Average Time: 26:13.85 Total Time: 2:11:09.23 1-5 Split: 11:27.57 | ||||