(all photos by Chris D'Aquin)
Championship Boys
Race conditions were prime Saturday as the temperature was great in the 60s for most of the day and not much humidity as Jacob McLeod from Trinity Christian Dublin flat out scorched the Coach Wood course and the field at the Nike/Fleet Feet Coach Invitational in the Boys Championship race Saturday recording the 2nd best time in meet history. He is becoming a strong leading canidate to qualify possibly for Foot Locker Nationals after a :28 win over some top AAAAAAA runners posting a 15:30. Watch the Video
Jacob McLeod from GISA Trinity Christian destroyed a fast field winning the Overall Boys race in 15:30.
The team title went to the Broncos of Brookwood as their 1-5 had a team average of 16:44 with a Split of :51 which was too much for game Marietta squad who actually were leading by 27 points after each had 4 runners cross the finish line. Patrick Smith was the top stud for the Broncos at Coach Wood placing 6th overall in 16:17. Marietta ran well from 1-4 placing 3 runners in the top 10 including Hayden Tullos who took 3rd overall in 15:59, followed by Ben Patterson at 16:00 and Colton Page (Allatoona transfer) who placed 10th in 16:27. If Marietta can find a #5 in 2 weeks they have a nice chance to defend their title. Sam Bowers of Milton had another nice race for Milton taking runnerup honors in 15:58 (who finished a point behind Lambert in 4th team wise) Ben McCoy of Blessed Trinity rounded out the top 5 posting a time of 16:12. Notable, was St. Pius X besting Blessed Trinity by 12 points in a AAAA showdown.
Sam Bowers of Milton just held off a hard charging Marietta duo to secure 2nd place in 15:58.
Hayden Tullos led Marietta to a strong 2nd place finish 18 points behind Brookwood placing 3rd at 15:59
Ben Patterson was right behind Tullos claiming 4th place overall in 16:00
Brookwood took the team title by having a tighter 1-5 than Marietta.
Marietta is closing the gap on Brookwood, and seized the 2nd place team hardware.
Lambert edged Milton by 1 point to secure 3rd place teamwise.
Championship Girls
It was a preview of previews in the Girls Championship race as #1 Milton and #2 South Forsyth squared off in Oakmont Saturday morning. Only 2 points separated the top Georgia powers with Milton taking the win, continuing to be the state's top-ranked team in All Classes besting 20 schools in the championship division of the meet. Region rival South Forsyth (2nd-72 pts) kept it close the entire race with Lovett (3rd-138 pts) following. With two finishers in the top-10 and four in the top-20, the Lady Eagles were able to keep ahead of South Forsyth. Senior captain Marie Repasy (5th-18:55) took a couple of shots at a top-3 finish and was among the group of girls in the chase pack the majority of the race. Freshman Faith Bobak (7th-19:15) moved up through the top-20 and with a very strong last 800 meters secured a top-10 finish and was the top-freshman in the race. Freshman Abby Rindt (13th-19:30) followed and pulled along sophomore Taylor Cushman (17th-19:45) to lead the Milton effort. South Forsyth placed 3 in the top 10, led by Kaylee Dupont's 3rd place finish in 18:47, Milicent Bergey (9th-19:42) and frosh Caroline Patterson (10th-19:22).
Championship Girls lead pack is pulled forward by eventual winner Serena Tripodi of Lovett.
Lovett had a nice 3rd place team effort led by their star Serena Tripodi who pulled away from the field taking the Overall title clocking an 18:11. Things should feel like 'back in the day' very soon for AAA powers Westminster and Lovett come region time...Audrey Honiotes from Hart County had another strong race taking 2nd Overall at 18:28 leading AAA # 4 Hart County to a 20:53 team average. AAAAAA Harrison came in 4th and Walton 5th rounding out the top 5 squads.
Tripodi pulled away from a strong field winning the overall title going 18:11, looking more and more like a repeat National Finalist perhaps.
Audrey Honiotes from Hart County had a great race at Coach Wood taking overall runnerup honors at 18:32.
Kaylee Dupont hammers down the stretch placing 3rd leading South Forsyth to a runnerup team finish.
Liz Galarza of West Forsyth placed 4th overall at 18:52.
Marie Repasy of Milton motored to a 5th place finish at 18:55 leading #1 ranked Milton to the team title.
Its going to be a wild AAAAAAA race at State this November as Milton bested South by a mere 2 points.
South Forsyth can't wait to see Milton at State, after coming oh so close to knocking them off at Coach Wood.
AAA #2 Lovett is closing the gap on top ranked Westminster, after a 3rd place finish at Coach Wood.
Varsity Cardinal Races
Issac Hernadez of Johnson HS dominated the Cardinal Boys race winning in 16:41
2015 MS Large Boys State XC Champ Max Mowrer, took 2nd place for Dunwoody turning in a 17:24
Trevor Robinson from East Paulding has been getting coached up this Fall, as he ran to 3rd Overall in 17:42
Beining Xiao of Chamblee has been running very well lately, as she took 1st Overall in the Cardinal race at 19:31
Emily L. Little of Whitefield (L) holds on for 2nd place at 20:15 over Maggie Dyer from Jefferson a few strides back in 20:16
Varsity Gold Races
Audrick Pyronneau of Hiram continues to have a great Fall winning the Gold race posting a 16:25
Devan Crow was top Trojan in the Gold race placing 2nd in 16:36
Tommy Johnston of North Hall sprints it in for 3rd at 16:42, with Anthony Potts of North Oconee in hot pursuit claiming 4th Overall for the Titans going 16:43.
There are no pics available from Varsity Girls Gold due to Championship awards. (my call, my bad) Elizabeth Rice of Kennesaw Mountain took individual honors clocking a 19:22, outlasting Riverwood's Elizabeth Graves back in 19:26. Morgan Mihalis of Lakeside DeKalb scored the 3rd place medal with a 19:51.
JV Championship Races
Brian Houghton of St. Pius X raced to the win in JV Boys Championship race at 17:16.
Marietta 8th graders? Hattie Rydinsky and Betsy Gordon shared a photo finish going 1-2 with a nice 20:40.
PHOTO GALLERY (more coming!)
Elite Performances
31 performances met the MileSplit US Second Team standard.