Course Video
If I am not mistaken, the cyclist in the video is the rabbit for all the races Saturday and deserves some props as he will log over 24 miles on race day!
The State Middle School Cross Country Championships started in 2006, an event that Meet Director Shelly Cranford had dreamed about for many years, but never took the first steps to see it come to life. Finally, in 2006, he took the idea to then Superintendent, Dr. L.C." Buster" Evans to see what his thoughts were about Bleckley County being the host of a State Meet for middle school runners. Dr. Evans was on board from the start, pledging his full support for the event, and thus, the event began. Not only did Superintendent Evans lend his support, but he, along with Coach Shelly Cranford, and Coach Cranford's dad, Freeman Cranford, worked many hours creating the course at Bleckley County. It was built on land that the school board purchased to build a new elementary school, and later, a new high school. Only a few teams came that first year back in 2006, but it was a start, and since then, it has continually grown to the meet that it is today.
Teams and individuals from all over the state make the trek every year to Cochran for this annual event. When runners cross the finish line, they are crossing the "Freeman D. Cranford Memorial Finish Line," named in memory and honor of Coach Cranford's father, who passed away in 2015. He was an avid Bleckley County Cross Country supporter for over 25 years, and his legacy will live on forever at the Bleckley County Cross Country Course.
There have been numerous Footlocker or Nike National qualifiers who have run in the state middle school championships when they were in middle school, and who knows who could be running Saturday that one day might go on to do great things as well later in their running career. This race, however, is about more than just the super fast. It is about a race that welcomes runners of all levels and gives them a chance to be a part of something big that happens in Cochran, Georgia every year during the month of October.
Course Description: Several courses were used in the first 11 years. The present course has been in use since 2017. The original course was used from 2006 thru 2016. In 2017, the layout was altered, making the course more fan-friendly on the first mile, but the back part of the course actually got tougher. The course terrain consists primarily of grass (which has been cut very short making the course faster) and dirt. The first 800 meters is relatively flat with a 200-meter climb @ 800 m, followed by 250 meters downhill section. A short 20 meter steep uphill comes right past 1600 meter mark. Then comes the deceptively challenging rolling hills the next 800 meters. With 600 meters to go, comes the tough 250-meter hill that had some work done on it during the summer to alleviate washing issues when heavy rains come. The last 400 meters begins with a slight climb for 75 meters but is followed by a long, fast downhill descent for the next 250 meters, with runners emerging out of the woods, finishing up with an exciting 75-meter dash for glory, ending with a slight uphill climb to the finish line, with the barrier fence lined with screaming fans!
TEAM CHAMPIONS
| BOYS | |||
| Year | Large School Champs | Medium School Champs | Small School Champs |
| 2019 | Woodland Euharlee - 12:50 avg | Jefferson MS - 12:42 avg. | Holy Innocents - 12:36 avg. |
| 2018 | Gainesville MS - 12:31 avg. | Jefferson MS - 12:42 avg. | Holy Innocents - 12:05 avg. |
| 2017 | Richmond Hill MS - 12:23 avg. | Pace Academy MS - 12:14 avg. | Oglethorpe County MS - 12:20 avg. |
| 2016 | South Forsyth MS - 12:00 avg. | Lovett MS - 12:09 avg. | Oglethorpe County MS - 12:29 avg. |
| 2015 | Burney Harris Lyons - 12:31 avg. | Westminster - 12:11 avg. | Holy Innocents - 12:31 avg. |
| 2014 | Marist - 12:20 avg. | Holy Innocents - 12:10 avg. | Landmark Christian - 12:18 avg. |
| 2013 | Marist - 12:25 avg. | Holy Innocents - 12:50 avg. | |
| 2012 | Gainesville MS - 12:04 avg. | Holy Innocents - 12:17 avg. | |
| 2011 | Woodland Euharlee - 12:28 avg. | Bleckley County MS - 12:25 avg. | |
| 2010 | Woodward Academy - 11:34 avg | Bleckley County MS - 12:59 avg. | |
| 2009 | Woodward Academy | ||
| 2008 | Woodward Academy - 12:25 avg | ||
| 2007 | North Hall MS | ||
| 2006 | North Hall MS | ||
| GIRLS | |||
| Year | Large School Champs | Medium School Champs | Small School Champs |
| 2019 | Dean Rusk MS - 14:17 avg. | Marist - 13:35 avg. | Bleckley County MS - 14:10 avg. |
| 2018 | Loganville MS - 13:52 avg. | Marist - 13:41 avg. | George Walton - 14:10 avg. |
| 2017 | Woodland Euharlee - 13:31 avg | Marist - 13:57 avg. | Holy Innocents - 13:45 avg. |
| 2016 | ET Booth MS - 13:31 avg. | Pace Academy MS - 13:56 avg. | Holy Innocents - 13:59 avg. |
| 2015 | Woodland Euharlee - 13:26 avg | Marist - 13:53 avg. | Hebron Christian - 13:53 avg. |
| 2014 | Marist - 13:40 avg. | Holy Innocents - 13:41 avg. | Hebron Christian - 14:20 avg. |
| 2013 | Marist - 14:09 avg. | Decatur MS - 13:46 avg. | |
| 2012 | Marist - 13:26 avg. | Renfroe MS - 13:36 avg. | |
| 2011 | Marist - 13:40 avg. | Holy Innocents - 13:26 avg. | |
| 2010 | Marist - 13:42 avg. | Holy Innocents - 13:52 avg. | |
| 2009 | Woodland Euharlee | ||
| 2008 | Woodland Euharlee - 13:19 avg | ||
| 2007 | Kennesaw Mtn. | ||
| 2006 | Bleckley County MS |
MS BOYS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
| Year | Large School | Time | Medium School | Time | Small School | Time |
| 2019 | Teddy MeredithUNA | 11:41.79 | Gavin Ollis- UNA | 11:30.05 | Montana Archer- UNA | 11:33.84 |
| 2018 | Evan McConnell- UNA | 11:24.22 | William Kellam- West Laurens | 11:27.70 | Luke Churchwell- Bleckley | 11:20.55 |
| 2017 | Sam Rich - UNA | 11:15.19 | Zachary Bobak - UNA | 11:13.93 | Luke McGarity - Oglethorpe | 11:36.04 |
| 2016 | JD Bengston - Tift MS | 11:10.20 | Davis Potts - Malcom Bridge | 10:58.56 | Zack Truitt - Landmark Chr. | 10:57.24 |
| 2015 | Max Mowrer - UNA | 11:04.36 | Henry Plowden - UNA | 11:15.00 | John Higinbotham - UNA | 11:18.10 |
| 2014 | William James - Walton Youth | 11:28.00 | Dawson Frey - Oglethorpe MS | 11:29.02 | Zack Truitt - Landmark Chr. | 11:39.88 |
| 2013 | George Finch - Gratis Project | 11:21.28 | Jonathan Jenkins - UNA | 11:04.53 | ||
| 2012 | Sean Parker - UNA | 11:11.05 | Anthony Potts- Malcom Brdg. | 11:13.54 | ||
| 2011 | Sam Bowie- Gardner Newman | 11:02.88 | Thomas Moore - UNA | 11:10.28 | ||
| 2010 | Alex Murfee - Woodward | 11:02.11 | Cole Thornton - Malcom Brdg | 11:18.80 | ||
| 2009 | Bailey Roth - Inman MS | 10:49.00 | ||||
| 2008 | Ray Warner - Holy Innocents | 11:30.00 | ||||
| 2007 | Cameron Thornton - Whitefield | 11:31.00 | ||||
| 2006 | Nathan Vassey - Woodward | 11:38.00 |
MS GIRLS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
| Year | Large School | Time | Medium School | Time | Small School | Time |
| 2019 | Sarah Fassinger - Teasley MS | 12:39.90 | Ruby Little - Marist | 12:45.64 | Claire Petersen - Mt. Bethel | 12:16.28 |
| 2018 | Morgan Grace Sheffield -UNA | 12:33.75 | Jenna Champer- Oconee MS | 12:23.39 | Reese Neumann - Holy Inn. | 12:27.47 |
| 2017 | Rylee Evans - Woodland Euh. | 12:23.91 | Sydney Matthews - UNA | 12:43.33 | Brooke Browning - Hebron | 12:47.30 |
| 2016 | Makena Gates - Creekview | 11:44.09 | Kelsey Morse - Malcom Bridge | 12:32.00 | Ansley Long - Trinity Dublin | 12:24.97 |
| 2015 | Nyah Hernandez - Creekview | 11:57.05 | Jewelle Love -East Jackson | 12:28.03 | Emily Little - Whitefield MS | 12:45.03 |
| 2014 | Nyah Hernandez - Creekview | 12:18.75 | Haley Hooper - Lovett MS | 12:04.10 | Piper Kay - Team Fusion | 12:21.85 |
| 2013 | Sydney Runyan - UNA | 12:28.93 | Anna Marian Block- Ath. Acad | 12:13.04 | ||
| 2012 | Kendall Nelson - Marist | 12:25.40 | Sarah Foreman - Landmark | 12:40.18 | ||
| 2011 | Mackenzie Ellison -UNA | 12:50.00 | Kathryn Foreman - Landmark | 12:07.50 | ||
| 2010 | Morgan Ilse - Marist | 12:26.34 | Ellen Powell - Bleckley MS | 12:42.91 | ||
| 2009 | Maddie Wetterhall - Chamblee | 12:24.00 | ||||
| 2008 | Sahara Fletcher- N.Clayton | 12:19.00 | ||||
| 2007 | Sarah Pray - Griffin | 12:46.00 | ||||
| 2006 | Sarah Pray - Griffin | 13:14.00 |