Class AAAAA Scouting Report
5A
McIntosh had a magical run this past school year winning both Boys Track and Cross Country titles sending out longtime Coach Buckles into a happy retirement. Flowery Branch will be seeking to return to Championship form and add another XC title after placing a strong 2nd in 2012. A wide bridge currently separates the Falcons from 5-6 competitive squads consisting of Starrs Mill who may have a few strides advantage over Union Grove, Lakeside-DeKalb, Lakeside Evans, Sequoya, Greenbrier, North Paulding and Gainesville.
The top 4 5A runners graduated opening a wide door of opportunity for runners gunning for an Individual title. This group of runners finished w/in :10 of each other at Carrollton: Justin Weegar of Evans is one of the top returners having placed 5th in 2012. Corey Jones from Richmond Hill placed 6th last Fall and had a strong showing at the rain drenched GA Olympics taking 2nd in the 800 Meters in 1:56.05 Junior Logan Hughes of Greenbrier was right with those 2 guys at the finish line and had a strong Spring Track season with a 2:00 800 and 4:26 1600 Meters. Kell's Logan Poteet has a 16:32 pr and made the All-State squad. Watch out Greenbrier's Jon Townsend too..and John Raville transferred from OLM to Whitewater...
Flowery Branch once again will field a deep, experienced squad of solid runners without an all-stater. But returning your top 7 from State will give them a huge advantage that may be too much for the field. Would one like an example of pack running? Their 1-4 runners had a Split of :08 at State. Nicholas Ashmead is their top returner from State and has a pr of 15:55 at McAlpine Park (Wendys) Also back are Taylor Fiorello, Jake Shewbert, Miguel Martinez and James Slavik who was 1st at the Winder-Barrow 3K this Summer. All of these guys have ran sub 16:45....
Starrs Mill should be in the hunt (they have a strong program) along with a nice home course-Heritage Church) The Panthers finished 5th in 2012 and with cross-county rival McIntosh losing their top 3 should win their Region and make the Podium. They return at least 5 from their State squad including their top 2 in James Adams and Joshua Warren both with 16:30ish prs
Lakeside De-Kalb scores well on the composite chart and should have the depth to make a run at a Podium finish this Fall after being 6th in 2012. They return a group of 4 runners with prs within :10 Split. Davis Stockwell may be their top runner after having placed 18th at State.
Lakeside-Evans has produced some very competitive squads in recent history, even being ranked #1 on and off during the past few seasons. Chase Fowers is gone, but junior Christian Bowles will fill his shoes nicely. Bowles may have dnf'd at State last Fall, but has a pr of 15:55 and placed 3rd at the GA Olympics in the 3200 Meters clocking a 9:34 just behind Logan Poteet of Kell. Also back are Brian Stokes and Mitchell Beck both with low 17 prs.
Greenbrier has a solid program led by Coach Katie Smallwood and capitalized on it getting some hardware across the street on the Podium in 2012. Several of their runners had nice Track seasons and their top 4 is back which is promising for a higher finish in 2013, especially if someone steps in that 5-6 spot. Hughes and Townsend moving up a few places at State will be the catalyst for as high as 2nd...
Sequoyah could definitely be a Podium squad this Fall looking to move up a few spots after their 9th place effort in 2012. They return their top 5 including Senior Christopher Costa who is their top returner with a 24th place finish at State and pr of 16:17 at Boling Park. Can this group improve at Carrollton in November remains to be seen as they do well on faster courses.
Another squad south of ATL is Union Grove who will look to come back after a 14th place finish in 2012. They lost Brandon Cromer and Drew Smith but have some guys who have ran fast times at Asics/Bob Blastow including Jt Triplett, Wes Atkins, Marc Sewell and Conner Dalrymple. Gainesville has their top 4 back, a group of 4 juniors that could make some noise this season. North Paulding may surprise some people, and don't count out McIntosh though they graduated their amazing top 3 as 800 meter State Champ Taylor Huntley returns along w/ Andrew Jaeger.
5A
The Girls meet last season was gem for Dunwoody as Alex Cameron and Kailey Williams (grad) led the Cats to a decisive 49 point victory. It won't be as ez this Fall. Lakeside-Evans, Starrs Mill, Flowery Branch, McIntosh, Northview, North Paulding, East Paulding, Allatoona and Northgate appear to be somewhat evenly matched making for a great 5A race. But, the Carrollton course will decide who the big girls are as usual.
Alex Cameron may be the top runner coming back in the State of Geogia this season. She has USATF titles, is the defending Champ, has a 17:59 pr at Foot Locker South and doubled at Albany in the 1600/3200 Meters. Lindsay Billings from Northview was 2nd at State amongst returners and has a pr of 19:14 Senior Ashley Taylor of North Paulding made the all-state squad in 2012. Junior Cassidy Williams of McIntosh is all-state performer, and unlike most of the top Girls didn't run Track...Others in the mix could be Cassie Ward of Flowery Branch, Hailey Gollnick of Northgate and Ashley Kehoe of Pope.
Dunwoody will have a tough time repeating after graduating Williams and Berger. But they do have 4/5 of their top 7 back. Cameron should cruise to a state title and maybe win the top performance award. But the Cats will need that core group of Ansley Heavern, Ann-Marie Sills and Jennifer Hardister to raise their game to make a run at it and perhaps some new blood.
Starrs Mill looks strong if all their underclassmen return from last Fall. The Panthers should definitely improve from last season's 10th place finish. I believe at least 4/5 of their State top 7 is back including top runner Emily Sims. 5 have ran sub 21's, and 6 of the 7 top returners ran Track this past Spring and word is Senior Hailey Gollnick has transferred in from Northgate...
Flowery Branch may be the team to really keep tabs on in October. Coach Sorrells has a talent for getting his charges to peak very late. Having 5 of your State top 7 back doesn't hurt. The Falcons were 3rd in 2012 on a 6th runner tiebreak over McIntosh. Ward and Lauren Kirk should lead the way and if their 3-7 improve it could be a Falcon team party after State celebrating a "Program" state title.
Lakeside-Evans keeps producing solid runners w/ a little nod these past few years to Jim Bowles. The Panthers lost their ace to graduation (Sarah Bowles) but should have a good shot at a return to the Podium this Fall. Otherwise it looks like they may have 5 of their top 7 back to make a run again. Top returners are Jasmine Payne, Hannah Marionneaux and frosh Alyssa Hooker could make a difference.
McIntosh should be able to mount another run at a top finish this season. Jason Newton has assumed the helm from Coach Buckles and has some talent back (top 3) including all-stater Williams, Alyssa LeClaire and Taylor Snell though 4-7 has graduated. They could get some help from their frosh and PTC Flash runners..
Northview definitely has the makings of a team that can challenge for a Podium spot. The Titans (a popular mascot these days) placed 8th in 2012 and have alot of upside. Top runner Billings will return and try to chase Cameron down. 5 more of the top 7 should be back as well including Shannon Marsh, Anna Barefield and Miranda Hermes.
North Paulding (another fairly new school) placed 11th in 2012 and could get in the mix by November. Ashley Taylor will return after having made the all-state squad last Fall. Their fortune will rely on the 2-7 (all back but one) runners and improving on hillier courses. They also have a MS runner that could have an impact in Brett Luther.
Northgate out of Coweta County has made some strides recently and could move up several slots in the Rankings and State. Back are Taylor and Erica Lee (2&3)
Some other programs hoping to crack the top 10 may be Allatoona, Riverwood, Loganville, Whitewater, Lakeside-DK (graduated their top 4-5)