GISA AAA Boys Preview
For AAA boys, Mt. DeSales graduated its top 3 runners from last years championship team that edged Heritage by a handful of points. The teams that finished 2-3-4 last year (Heritage, Southland and Augusta Prep) should compete fir this years team title. Heritage seems to have an edge in depth based on head to head results this season. The course is a technical 2 loop course with a start and finish on the football field grass. The course runs the perimeter of the campus and through mulch and leaf trails in the woods behind the athletic fields. The campus course is though without any major hills.
Boys AAA
The Heritage School 1AAA- With last year's Champ Mount DeSales losing their top 3 the door was opened for the Hawks (from Newnan) to run thru and this Fall have been the top AAA squad. Their top 5 all have prs of sub 17:45 and run well as a pack. It will take quite an effort from any challenger to beat them. Their top runner has been Evan Brander.
Southland Academy 3AAA- Southand Academy in Americus has the best opportunity to push Heritage but it will require a titan effort from their 4-5 guys. They do however have the top AAA runnner to get things started with Wright Calhoun as he's ROW winner for GISA this season. Billy Calcutt also should be in that lead pack giving the Raiders a potent 1-2 punch.
Augusta Prep 4AAA- Augusta Prep on paper is a strong 3rd. John Earwood is their ace and should be mixing it up in the front with a host of Heritage School runners.
Mill Springs Academy (1AA) and Westminster Augusta are very evenly matched and should be racing for that 4th team spot (In GHSA, that would be a coveted Podium spot) Devin Hazzard of Mill Springs will be in the chase pack and Westminster's Evan Downs may have his sights set on Wright Calhoun and an individual title. Also don't count out Young Americans of 2AAA to push for 4th
Virtual Meet
1 The Heritage School 34 2 5 7 9 11 - -
2 Southland Academy 60 1 4 10 14 31 - -
3 Augusta Prep 86 6 16 17 23 24 - -
4 Mill Springs Acad 135 8 15 19 42 51 - -
5 Westminster Augusta 138 3 13 26 47 49 - -
6 Young Americans 158 12 29 30 43 44 - -
7 Mount De Sales 195 18 28 40 48 61 - -
8 Deerfield-Windsor 200 20 32 33 57 58 - -
9 Stratford Academy 237 27 45 54 55 56 - -
10 Holy Spirit Prep 251 35 36 46 66 68 - -
11 The Weber School 255 21 41 50 70 73 - -
For the individual title in boys AAA, 5 or 6 runners have been very close this season. I would watch for Southland's Wright Calhoun and Billy Calcutt, Westfield's Reese Hickock, Augusta's John Earwood, and Evan Downs of Westminster of Augusta. Expect to see a number of these runners at the Foot Locker Regionals in Charlotte,
Individuals School PR-SB
1 Wright Calhoun Southland Wright ran a PR of 16:31 at Deerfield
2 Reese Hickok Westfield Reece ran a PR of 16:47 at Deerfield
3 Tanner Brander Heritage School Tanner ran a PR of 16:58 at Dominion Dash
4 Evan Downs Westminster Aug. Evan ran a SB of 17:05 at Furman Classic
5 Billy Calcutt Southland Billy ran a PR of 17:13 Region 3AAA Meet
6 Parker Jones Heritage School Parker ran a PR of 17:14 at Dominion Dash
7 John Earwood Augusta Prep John ran a PR of 17:09 at Highlander Inv.
8 Devin Hazzard Mill Springs Devin ran a SB of 17:33 at Furman Classic