Congratulations to Cory Nicholls of McEachern, who is now #5 on the all time 800 list with a 1:50.69 and Henry Dwyer of Athens Academy, who is now #6 on the all time 1600 list with a converted 4:08.86 Also congratulations to Junior, Kenny Selmon, from Pace Academy winning 400 Meter Hurdles Champ at Golden South in a time of 52.30 - new number #1 in the nation for high school boys. Way to go Kenny.  Nolan Daniels of Marist won the 400 m prep division with a new PR of 49.29..  

Here are a few of the past month's newest signings including Hillgrove's Dyarius Tucker, Javianne Oliver of Monroe Area and Athens Academy's Henry Dywer who doubled in the 1A Private 800m/1600m. Dwyer will be staying close to home choosing UGA!

Mother Nature has never been this cruel to a Georgia Olympics and its not unexpected the weather adversely affected all the athletes (even the 800m guys) but everyone had to deal w/ the same conditions on a level playing field and 7 team champions emerged. Mill Creek won their first ever title in 6A, McIntosh came up big scoring 40 just edging perennial contender Cedar Shoals for 5A. The Private schools had very good days beginning w/ Marist rolling up 71 points for a 33 point margin of victory. Fellow Catholic school St.Pius X did the same to the 3A field scoring 85 points. Westminster was too powerful for 2A schools claiming another title scoring 72 besting a game Brooks County team by 10 and Athens Christian added 50 more points Saturday defending their title.  Commerce won the Public A title in unusual fashion after Terrell County's anchor leg stepped off the track right before crossing the finish line in the 4x400m relay.

Well, it seems the weather just won't go into hibernation until late Fall as athletes battled sometimes cool, breezy conditions with a light sprinkle of rain. ACS and St.Pius had huge days piling up enough points to take the pressure off them a bit. There were some great 1600m races w/ video popping up of each (except A Public)

This season presents a most unusual Ga Olympics with Class A being split into Public School and Private School divisions with each competing for their own State titles. Not schooled entirely on how this came to fruition, it boiled down to A public schools petitioning the GHSA  the playing field was no longer level, as Private schools had the ability to draw students from multiple cities/counties to be polite. My opinion is the public schools were getting frustrated by the private school's recent domination on the gridiron and they threatened to form their own association to the GHSA...Regardless, it is what it is and its changed how A competes (at least this season) in Jefferson and Albany as last week's Sectional was literally "State Prelims" for A with every event being a Final.

USATF Georgia proudly announces its 2nd annual Boys and Girls Indoor All-State team.   There are over 20 different high schools and two middle schools represented on this 2013 team. The Georgia All-State team was chosen using a specific criterion. Congratulations to the 2013 USATF Georgia Girls All-State team!

It was a challenging week of nasty, wet, windy and cool weather that had several meets cancel their Invitationals but student athletes managed to perform despite the conditions setting new personal bests. Last week's Boys Athlete of the week is Marquis Dye from Elbert County. At the 3-19 North Oconee meet Marquis set the cold track on fire blazing a 10.71 in the 100m and in the next event hurdled to a 14.72 in the 100h while anchoring the 4x100 squad to 42.42  Katelyn Utely of Tift County was chosen the Girls AOW after clearing 11-06 in the PV at the rain shortened LC Smith and Benson Relays.

Highlights from the week of January 21st - January 27th, 2013.  

The Athens Academy boys took home their first ever Team State title this Saturday at the Class A Cross Country Championships held down in Macon. The Spartans had been the favorite since the Week 2 team rankings were released and won by a 48 point margin of victory over runnerup Darlington.  Landmark Christian is 'Queen of the Hill' again in A Girls Cross Country defending their 2011 title behind the amazing duo of freshman Kathryn Foreman and senior Lindy Long. Reilly Friedman of Galloway (soph) was not to be denied of his title and he cruised to his first of what could be many Individual Championships and frosh Foreman of Landmark Christian ran away with the Girls title.

This is the first time in recent history at least the GHSA will have a separate State Meet for the A schools which is a polarizing topic for many coaches as it takes away from the luster of competing on the grand stage at Carrollton and minimizes in some eyes the importance of the meet. But 4 Class 1A champs will be recognized on Saturday.       The venue will be on a tested course at the Georgia Industrial Chjldren's home which is moderately challenging with a few rolling hills and 2 long fast downhill stretches which are grass. There are several spots on the course fans can move around to making it viewer friendly. The 1A Private races will be very competitive and the 1A Public races may remind one of similar A, AA races at Carrollton where most of the teams that fielded Area meet squads will struggle to have 30 minute team averages and many athletes will walk when out of view of the Start and Finish areas. The sad fact is a Girls Public  School Podium team could have a walker make the difference....

This year is the 10th edition of the meet, and could be the most competitive one yet.  With Nike athlete Shannon Rowbury set to appear, the always popular Fleet Feet/Nike tent, and the Cross Country friendly atmosphere of Gainesville College, the “unofficial All Class State Meet” (as one messageboard poster dubbed it) should be packed with plenty of intrigue.  by Coach Andy Christie

   The Clarke-Oconee Cross Country Championships have a long tradition of competitive racing with many State Champs, Individual and Team battling it out on different venues. This season, the Championship will be contested Tuesday on the challenging Athens Academy course. Here is a meet preview by Coach Tom Pee from Athens Academy....

Here are the GaMileSplit.com Week 5 Runners of the Week as we attempt to recognize different runners from all over the State.  Lassiter's Morgan Ainslie and Athens Academy's Henry Dwyer both won individual titles. Ainslie down in Lake City, Fla at the Alligator Lake Invite and Dwyer at the FPD-Warner Robins  Run Wild Invite.

2012 Pre-Season Rankings and Class Briefs. Broken down by Class by the Ga.MileSplit.com Rankings Commitee. This season we will also make an effort to Rank GISA depending on the results submitted.

Grace Tinkey digs in the final 1000 meters enroute to a 17:59 and Girls Top Performance of the day. Class A had some of top runners in Georgia competing and these races were exciting. But, one runner left no doubts to her dominance of Girls XC in this meet as Grace Tinkey flat out just took off and torched the grass, wood chips, wind and road crossings. Tinkey split around a 5:35 at the Mile Marker as fans and runners alike watched her fly by all alone.... Cameron Thornton leads the chase pack at the Mile Marker enroute to 15:58 and State Title.

Class A Preview by Coach Geoffrey Walton

Here is a preview for the competitive Clarke-Oconee Area Championships. Coach Tom Pee of Athens Academy breaks the race down in detail.