A Private Girls Start
(photos by Dan McCauley)
Champ Erin Fegans
Sr. Erin Fegans of Landmark Christian capped off her GHSA XC career by winning the A Private Girls Individual crown posting a 19:11 on the frozen tundra of Carrollton. Here is how the race brokedown (Karl Brust is diligently working on editing the video of all Friday races with A Private next on the menu)
Mahoney, Browning (rear) & Joyce
Race Breakdown:
Reagan Mahoney and Cara Joyce of Atlanta International took the lead at the gun, with a group of 4 coming down the first hill in the pack, including Mahoney, Joyce, Fegans and Hebron Christian's Brooke Browning. Joyce assumed the lead going 5:54 at the Mile Mark with Fegans a stride back at 5:55. As 'Separation Slope' was crested, a pack of 3, including Fegans and Joyce crossed the 'horseshoe', Browning 10m back. Mahoney got dropped before the 2 mile mark as Fegans split a 12:07, having a 20m lead thru the playground area. Joyce maintained her 2nd place position with Browning 3rd and Mahoney 40m in back of her. Fegans was not challenged the final 350m taking the win in 19:11. Soph Joyce took runnerup honors in 19:27, with Browning 3rd at 19:42.
Reese Neumann & Hayden Puett of Holy Innocents
Runnerup Cara Joyce
Reese Neumann led Holy Innocents to Bears' 1st State Title
Holy Innocents frosh Reese Neumann of Holy Innocents was surging, taking over 4th posting a time of 19:49. Her runningmates were busy as well, with Hayden Puett holding on for 7th overall in 20:21 with Reese Martin in 8th place at 20:28 securing the Bears' very first GHSA Cross Country Championship in school history with a 21 point margin of victory over Landmark Christian.
Erin Fegans Wins Title in final GHSA XC race
The Eagles were game, but clearly did not have the horses from 2-5 on this day to win a state title. Fegans led the way as she has since her older sister graduated, and word is she will be going to GA Tech to join forces with big sis' Nicole one more time.. Wesleyan had no definitive front runners this Fall, but strategically put together a 1-5 that had one of the top splits of the meet at :42 earning the Lady Wolves' a 3rd place team finish.
The final Team Podium spot came down to a 6th runner tiebreaker between Athens Academy and AIS as the Sparties' depth being the deciding factor at #6. Frosh Sarah Harrison of Athens Academy was 11th overall going 20:59. Brookstone's Kiley Murphy earned the final All-State slot placing 10th overall at 20:47.
Luna McCauley
Paideia's Luna McCauley, put her superior footspeed into high gear coming down the finishing hill, picking off 2 HI girls seizing 6th overall clocking a 19:59 on the hilly layout. Jr Jordan Walter of the Pythons had her best race of the year finishing very strong in 20:32 for 9th overall. The Pythons were only 8 points in back of Athens Academy and AIS, and with their top 5 slated to return 2020 looks bright.
Photo Gallery
Race Video