Team Race
The 2018 Girls A Public race looks to be a two team race as it has been shaping up all season long. Its a rural south central GA school vs a metro Atlanta school for the title.
Telfair County, led by Shayla Cook, Paige White, Bailie Graham and Morgan Spires lead the way on a team that could put all 5 of their scoring runners into the top 20. If they manage to do this, they have a great chance to win their second cross country state title. If one of the top 5 falter, it then becomes much more difficult to repeat. The team ran very well at their area meet, where they had 5 runners in the top 7, and look to be in great shape for the championship.
Atlanta Classical Academy, is one of the two sides that could challenge Telfair County. Serena Kapoor has had a very strong season and Anna Robbins is just behind her. Runners 3-7 on the team are where this real strength lie. There is just over a minute between runner #3 (Alexa Robbins) and #7 (Laiden Corbally). This tight pack could see ACA really close down on Telfair County. ACA won their Area title last week.
ACE Charter of Macon has an outside chance of topping the podium. They have a really strong duo on the top with Katelyn Taylor and Olivia Lowrimore who lead the team. Lowrimore beat her own teammate to win the Area title. The team will really need to close the split of 2:43 if they want to be able to challenge for the top spot.
Gordon Lee leads the next step of schools. Gracie O'Neal is the favorite to win the individual title, as she has already gone sub-20 5 times this season. The team challenge is a 7:12 split. This might keep Gordon Lee from getting higher up on the podium. The team finished in 2nd place at their Area meet, losing to Gordon -Lee.
Georgia Military College looks to round out the top 5. While they lack a true top runner, their team has enough to challenge for a top 5 spot. Mattison Strom leads the team that has improved from the beginning of the season and finished in 2nd place in their Area race to ACE Charter.
Individual Race
The individual state title is Gracie O'Neal of Gordon Lee's to lose, as it was last year and she emerged victorious. (photo by Daniel McCauley)
Brett Landing from Jenkins County
Maya Wynn of Furlow Charter (photo by Daniel McCauley)
Shayla Cook from Telfair County (photo by Daniel McCauley)
Others to watch are: Serena Kapoor (Atlanta Classical), Paige White (Telfair County), Masey Tabb (Seminole County) and Olivia Lowrimore (ACE Charter)