5A Girls- Dunwoody Repeats, Lakeside Evan's Hooker Corrals Overall Title

                                                            

 

From the Mile 1 marker on it was clear this race was going to be decided by Dunwoody and Starrs Mill and how their counterparts matched up against each other. Starrs Mill had the early advantage as frosh Mary Valli crossed the mats 3rd place overall in 19:57, :07 before Dunwoody's Kelly May Sheehan placed 5th in 20:04. After this matchup, it was all Wildcats as they won every spot (12,13,17) scoring 77 points for a 18 victory margin.  Creekview grabbed the 3rd place team cup with Lauren Wallin leading the hunt for the Griz' finishing 7th overall in 20:14. The battle for the final spot on the Podium was quite close as 3 squads were separated by 10 points including Northgate's Vikings who ran tough upsetting region foe McIntosh (who they lost to at region) coming in 4th as Caroline Nelson placed 10th earning All-State honors in 20:27 helping hold off a feisty 5th place Flowery Branch unit 6 points back and Cambridge lurking within striking distance settling for 6th. 

 

 

 

 

What was interesting about the race for the Overall title was the spacing between the top competitors. Hooker as mentioned, took the lead early and never let anyone get close enough maintaing a slight separation throughout the entire race (we could see) and won her first state title in 19:45. Following Hooker it was fairly tight through the next 6 places as each girl was in striking distance of the one ahead and/or behind them (2-7 Split of :32) On this day, Elizabeth Graves of Riverwood International had the goods holding off a valiant effort by Starrs' Valli seizing 2nd overall at 19:55 with the frosh 10 meters back in 19:57.   Kell's 3 headed machine has worked off each other all October and did not disapoint claiming 3 spots on the All-State team beginning with Olivia Terwilliger crossing 4th in 20:01, Reagan Poteet :07 back in 20:08 (is this Logan's sister?) and Marielle Lewis bringing up the caboose placing 9th at 20:24. Filling out the All-State squad (not mentioned above) is East Paulding's Allyssa Sheffield 8th in 20:24.  Congrats to all for a great race and season!