Region 5-A ReCap, Landmark Sweeps Titles, AIS' Williams on Fire Goes 18:02!

It was a fine morning for racing at the beautiful Heritage Christian Church course, though it got cooler each race. Helen Williams of Atlanta International lit the course on fire posting an 18:02. (Cover Photo by Daniel McCauley)

Coach Bill Thorn with his 'Ladies of Landmark' (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Kathryn Foreman leads Helen Williams, Nicole Fegans, and Sarah Foreman around the lake on the first circuit. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Varsity Girls- Watch the Race Footage from this race posted that tells the story better than it can be written. The Landmark power trio of Nicole Fegans, Kathryn Foreman and Sarah Foreman along with AIS' Helen Williams went out quick and dropped the field except for Paideia's Sophia West.

Helen Williams put on a fantastic performance for the crowd of cheering fans.(photo by Daniel McCauley)

Williams made a big move beginning the 2nd loop and jetted away displaying speed reminiscent of her Frosh Track season when she broke the A record in the 1600. Fegans tried to go with her, but the pace was too fast as Helen trucked around the lake, then finished hard posting the fastest time in a HS race on the venue.

Sarah Foreman of Landmark held off the advancing Sophia West of Paideia. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Landmark crushed it as a team easily winning with a scary team average of 19:12! Nicole Fegans pushed across for 2nd in 18:28 followed by Kathryn Foreman at 18:45. The final mile Sarah Foreman and Sophia West battled side by side with Foreman taking 4th posting a 18:48 and West 5th at 18:53. Landmark's Mary Kellison Thorne had a nice race taking 6th in 19:17 and Lindsey Biggar scored 5th placing 10th and ran a 20:43. Sr Pauline Cobb of Mercy had her best race of the year, but fell short of Q'ing cback in 7th at 19:50

Pauline Cobb of Our Lady of Mercy raced well but felt heartbreak as a result of her 7th place finish. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

AIS was a strong 2nd as a team, but a frantic race was going on for the final 2 tickets to Paradise with Paideia making it in 3rd with 92 points assisted by Olivia Escobedo's 11th place finish. It was a bedlam at the finish line as runners began to fall like dominoes crossing in Navy & Gold and Red & White as Galloway cashed in seizing the final spot on a 6th runner tiebreak over Mercy. Sami Krinsky led the Scots' with an 9th place finish of 20:43. Making All-Region for Mount Vernon Presbyterian was Maxine Peterson in 8th (20:41)

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The top Varsity Boys rocketed down the starting straightaway, taking control immediately. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Varsity Boys- (Watch the Video) Landmark Christian, as expected, rolled to the Boys Region 5-A title, placing 5 runners in the top 10 spots for 31 points. Paideia's Griffin McCauley earned the individual Overall title (his first GHSA Cross Country win), posting a 16:29. Next in line, leading the War Eagles and running in tandem the entire race, was the dynamic duo of Senior Austin Taylor and Seth Cruver. Taylor grabbed 2nd in 16:48, ahead of Cruver at 16:49. Also running well for Landmark were Daniel Wilson in 7th (17:22) and frosh Zach Drury 9th (17:34).

Austin Taylor of Landmark, Max Heaberlin of Paideia, Seth Cruver, and Nasir Campbell in hot pursuit of leader Griff McCauley. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Paideia, should be very grateful they have 3 gifted athletes in Griff McCauley, Max Heaberlin, and Nasir Campbell, as the Pythons raced to 2nd in the team competition. McCauley ran his race breaking away early and motored around the lake. 'Mad Max' Heaberlin hung tough for 4th Overall, going sub 17, posting a solid 16:58, while Campbell fought hard, outsprinting Wilson of Landmark in the final 25 meters taking 6th in 17:22.

Sophomore Griff McCauley soloed to the Region Championship victory in 16:29. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Nasir Campbell used his track speed to outsprint Daniel Wilson to the finish line. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Freshman Hugo Levisse of Atlanta International School worked his way up to 5th place. (photo by Daniel McCauley)

Galloway ran well as a pack, solidly taking 3rd with a 1-5 Split of 1:08. Leading the Scots' were Senior Aaron Earl 12th (17:44) and Luke Murray 13th (17:51). Atlanta International gets to pass GO and collect their ticket, having taken 4th, led by the 5th place finish of Hugo Levisse at 17:13. Executing a good race for Mercy and making All-Region was Aldahir Barrantes in 8th (17:29)

Winners - Paideia took 2nd with 56 points, Landmark is #1, with only 31 points. What are those guys looking at? lol ! (photo by Daniel McCauley)

JV Girls- In the Coed JV race there was no 'official' team scoring, but Galloway easily won scoring 19 points led by Sophia Ceniza's winning effort of 21:37.

JV Boys- Landmark Christian perfect scored the Boys race as Zack Truitt crossed the line first in 18:14 followed Kermit Jackson at 18:20

COMPLETE COVERAGE

PHOTO GALLERIES

RACE FOOTAGE

Elite Performances:

Below are the performances entered for the meet that met the national silver standard.