The hay is in the barn and now it\'s time to see what all the hard work has produced as teams around the state will vie to finish in the top four at region in order to qualify for the state meet next weekend in Carrollton. The temperature this weekend will be in the high 30\'s on Saturday morning in the Atlanta area which will serve as a stark contrast to the 80 plus degree temperatures that teams have dealt with all season.
Several region match ups loom large on the radar providinga preview of what we may see next weekend. In Region 7-AAAAA, the girls teams from Collins HIll, Peachtree Ridge, North Gwinnett and South Forsyth appear to be the frontrunners for the coveted four spots as all four teams have been ranked in the top 10 this season. With 3 teams currently ranked in the top 6, the action should be fast and furious as Jackie Drouin leads the way for the Collins Hill girls team. With two girls posting sub 19 times and a number five that should be under 20 Saturday, Collins HIill appears ready to defend their crowin in the largest classification. The battle for the number two spot should be interesting as North Gwinnett has been running well of late while Peachtree Ridge has also been running well. Jennifer Barbi, of South Forsyth, put on a show at the Last Chance Invitational while her team has finished well in almost every meet they\'ve entereed this season. This one could be a barn burner with the top 10 all under 20 minutes. In Region 5, Harrison and Kennesaw Mountain should be an interesting match up featuring two of the top 10 teams. Coach Scott\'s Harrison Hoya\'s are always a dangerous team at this time of year although they will have their hands full with a Kennesaw Mountain team that has run very well this season. Lindsey Pickens, of Kennesaw, Taylor Adams, of Sprayberry, and Kylie Foley and Caroline Oshust all in the hunt for top spots. In Region 6, Walton appears to be the team to beat with Pope and Milton vying for 2nd place. Leila Norman, of Walton, should be the favorite for the individual title. Region 8 features the powerful Grayon team, led by Abby Self, one of the contenders for the individual titles at state. Parkview and Brookwood should hold down spots 2 and 3 with the fourth spot up for grabs.
In Boys action, Gainesville College will be the site for the Region 7 and 8 meets and should provide for some exciting race action as Parkview, Brookwood, Collins Hill, Mill Creek, North Gwinnett, Dacula and Shiloh will line it up one more time before state. Brookwood has taken a lot of time off since the Manhattan Invitational and many are curious to see how they match up against the squad from Parkview. While in Region 7, Collins Hill, Mill Creek, North Gwinnett and Dacula appear to have the best chance of advancing although Duluth has been running well of late. Walton will be the team that many will be anxious to see, as the Raiders have been on fire lately. Ben Hubers, of McEachern appears to be the favorite for the inidividual title and his McEachern teammates have gotten stronger throughout the season as they too try to bring home a trophy from Carrollton. This year, the boys race appears wide open although the edge has to go to Walton based on recent performance. Parkview, Brookwood, McEachern and Collins Hill appear to have the best chance of challenging for the title but right now, all eyes are on Walton.
Good luck this weekend everyone and based on what we\'ve seen so far, the state meet should be qutie a show.