The Region 8-AAAAA Championship, held on Saturday at the River Green Cross Country Complex in Duluth, will be an exciting one to watch. First up will be the varsity girls race at 10:30. Both the team and individual races will be tightly contested and exciting to watch. In the team race, Parkview and Brookwood look to be slight favorites to compete of the Region team Championship. Don’t discount Grayson and a Dacula squad that returns to AAAAA, however. Both have very good teams that could surprise the favorites, as both are poised for a return to Carrollton.
The individual race will be tightly contested, as well. Parkview has two talented freshmen in Julianne Kurke and Sara Brown. Both have a legitimate chance at taking home the Region crown. Brookwood’s trio of Carly Egan, Haley Carson, and Anakaren Lopez also have a legitimate chance of bringing home an individual title. Watch out for Grayson’s Brook Van Baush, Allie Wood, and track standout Mandi Tennyson to compete for the top spot, as well. Shiloh’s Donye Coleman will look to repeat last year’s aggressive first mile on her way to another top 5 individual performance.
The boys’ varsity race will be an exciting one, with Brookwood looking poised to return to its early season dominance. A young Parkview squad has been running very well, and will be looking to surprise the favored Broncos. Look for the Grayson and Dacula boys’ teams to run well, as both are led by very talented individuals Kirubel Erassa and Mike McClay. The individual race will be a competitive one, with Erassa and McClay; Brookwood’s Tyler Anyan, Doug Kalmbach, and Michael Sexton; and Parkview’s Brian Detwiler and Cody Allen all capable of taking home the Region crown.