Alexander/Asics Invitational Summary
When the 'House is a Rockin' Don't Bother Knockin' In perfect early morning race conditions the Championship Boys and Girls took full advantage and Coach Parrish of Darlington summed it up well: "Immaculate manicured golf-course-like grass; perfect footing. Awesome weather; perfect for Championship races. Great, deep competition and the course is as flat as a pancake." It of course, lol, "course" was a sounding board for naysayers as usual, even though Coach Robinson challenges anyone to wheel it as he takes great pride in making sure it was legit, and I don't doubt him. The facts are: 24 guys under 16:00; 111 guys under 17:00 and 48 girls under 20:00.. One thing's for sure, Georgia runners ate it up and will be back!
Boys
Kevin Mills guts it out down the finish in a smokin' 14:57 Image by Pinion Photography
There was some tremendous competition early Saturday, with the spotlite on the Individual races, and Kevin Mills of Peachtree Ridge has established himself as the man to beat in 6A come November cracking the magical sub 15: mark going 14:57 to win the Boys Overall Championship title. 24 runners going sub 16: had to be very exciting to witness down here in Georgia. Christian Bowles from Lakeside-Evans thrived on the conditions having the race of his life placing 2nd in 15:00 Brian Kamu from Shiloh tore it up as well taking advantage of the 'perfect storm' and placed 3rd at 15:10 followed by Week 7 ROW Reilly Friedman from the Galloway School maybe 25 meters back in 15:14 Blessed Trinity's Matt Munns has really turned it on the past few weeks placing 5th at 15:21 The team title was claimed by Peachtree Ridge behind Mills' superb run and the top 5 finishing in 1-10-20-21-29. AAA stalwart North Hall made a case as a challenger to St.Pius come November besting Woodward by 18 points on a layout that probably favored Woodward...
Girls
Tayler Tuttle is a running machine, winning in 17:32 Image by Pinion Photography
The Championship girls contestants obviously enjoyed the course and conditions as 48 girls went sub 20: Tayler Tuttle of A Private Providence Christian had all she could handle once again as Week 7 6A ROW Savannah Carnahan of South Forsyth pushed her to the limit. But Tuttle, like against Ilse at Darlington, was tough enough to win the Girls Overall title clocking a 17:32 to Carnahan's 17:36 Addy Lippitt joined the sub 18: club placing 3rd in 17:56 leading the 'Ridge Chicks' to the team title as they won easily scoring 53 points for a 48 point victory margin over 2nd place South Forsyth. Continuing to impact South's 6A chances was frosh Milicent Bergey placing in 18:38 The top freshman of the day was none other than Micah Weathers of Winder-Barrow as she continues to prove she's the 'real deal' placing 4th at 18:12 Darlington's Stephanie Ward had a great race herself placing 5th for the top ranked 1A Private Tigers posting a 18:25 Blessed Trinity continued to run well as a team taking 3rd place team honors.
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