After a canceled 2020 track season, many didn't know what would be in store for the cross-country season. Thankfully, the season was able to be completed and runners and teams from the Augusta area were able to have great success. The area had two individual state champions and a team champion on both the boys' and girls' side. Here's a look at the Augusta All-Area Girls teams and the runners of the year.
GIRLS RUNNER OF THE YEAR: SIMONE ROJAS
Simone Rojas of Evans HS is the MileSplit Georgia Augusta Area 'Runner of the Year' (photo by Alex Brust)
Evans sweeps the Runner of the Year awards, but the girl's award was a close call between Rojas and Augusta's Susannah Heinz. Only .63 separates the two in their season-best/personal records. Rojas ran an 18:17 while Heinz ran an 18:17.63. The deciding factor was the three head-to-head matchups between the two which favored Rojas, 2-1. The junior had a stellar season, winning five races including the region championship, and finishing runner up twice, most notable at the GHSA 6A state championship. Coming into the season Rojas' personal record was 18:59. In five of her nine races, she broke 19 minutes for the 5k. Her 18:17 PR came in the last meet of the season at the GA HS Meet of Champions, where she finished fifth. At the region meet, she ran 19:19, easily winning her second region title by a minute and 21 seconds. At the state meet, she ran 19:37.15. For the past three years she's shown to be one of the most dominant runners in the area and state, and next season she could potentially check the state championship title off her list of accomplishments, being the top-returner.
Sophomore Susannah Heinz of Augusta Prep. (photo by Coach Heinz)
The success for Augusta Prep didn't stop on the boy's side as Hayes' younger sister, Aine Trapp, won the individual state title as well and helped the girls win their fourth-straight state title. Susannah Heinz of the Augusta Eagles was the other girls state champion, as she cruised through her competition at the GAPPS D2 State Championship, winning the meet by 47 seconds.
Girls All-Area:
SUSANNAH HEINZ/ AUGUSTA EAGLES HS/ 2023/ 19:31/ 18:17.63
AINE TRAPP/ AUGUSTA PREP/ 2024/ 20:35.8/ 19:15.64
ANSLEY FULLEN/ EVANS/ 2021/ 21:54.68/ 20:25.54
MADISON KENNEDY/ EVANS HS/ 2022/ 22:23.66/ 19:16.20
SIMONE ROJAS/ EVANS HS/ 2022/ 19:37.15/ 18:17
GABI ANSON/ GREENBRIER/ 2021/ 24:14.60/ 21:15.10
MILLIE QUICK/ GREENBRIER/ 2023/ 22:05.77/ 22:05.77
LAUREN MICHAEL/ LAKESIDE EVANS/ 2021/ 0/ 21:04
KATHRYN METHENY/ LAKESIDE EVANS/ 2021/ 23:20.75/ 21:26.93
RACHEL WHITE/ LAKESIDE EVANS/ 2021/ 22:15.29/ 21:55
AINE TRAPP/ AUGUSTA PREP/ 2024/ 20:35.8/ 19:15.64
ANSLEY FULLEN/ EVANS/ 2021/ 21:54.68/ 20:25.54
MADISON KENNEDY/ EVANS HS/ 2022/ 22:23.66/ 19:16.20
SIMONE ROJAS/ EVANS HS/ 2022/ 19:37.15/ 18:17
GABI ANSON/ GREENBRIER/ 2021/ 24:14.60/ 21:15.10
MILLIE QUICK/ GREENBRIER/ 2023/ 22:05.77/ 22:05.77
LAUREN MICHAEL/ LAKESIDE EVANS/ 2021/ 0/ 21:04
KATHRYN METHENY/ LAKESIDE EVANS/ 2021/ 23:20.75/ 21:26.93
RACHEL WHITE/ LAKESIDE EVANS/ 2021/ 22:15.29/ 21:55