The start of the 3A boys race last year where Westminster won. (Photo by Marc Logan)
The 2021 Georgia XC racing season is here! The summer mileage is in the bank, the uniforms and new spikes are ordered up, and the buses are ready to crank. Teams will open up with their early season races these next few weekends and we should know a lot more by Labor Day.
For 3A girls, defending champion Westminster returns its nucleus to continue their dominance in Georgia high school XC. Westminster has now won 32 of the last 37 state championships and has won state every year since 2012. Palmer Walstad, Cate Stevens, Mira Srinivasa, and Janie Cooper lead this year's group.
In 2020, Oconee and North Hall gave Westminster a good run. Oconee returns Molly Meeks, Sydney Matthews, and Jenna Champer to give Oconee a great chance at another elite podium finish. North Hall graduated 3A State Champion Caylee Wagner, but brings in super frosh Clodagh O'Bryant along with sophomores Abi Moore and MaKayla Jones with freshmen Jessie Dubnik and Harleigh Smith.
Fighting all year for podium spots will be great girls programs from Cherokee Bluff (led by Adison Myers), White County (led by Nealeigh Broadwell, Lily Gearing, and Reese Vandegriff), and Savannah Arts (Lyric Olson, Margaret Wade, Camille Arango).
In 3A boys, Westminster. Westminster. Westminster. A virtual meet has these guys running a PERFECT SCORE on the rest of 3A. It might be Georgia's goal just to put someone up there than can split up their 5. This program has won state 21 of the past 25 seasons. Matthew Fernando (15:25), Noah Chen, Whitaker Swann, and Joseph and Justice Jacquot lead the group.
Oconee will begin the season as a strong 2nd place, led by Scott Seuser. The final podium spots could be up for grabs, with Pike County (Aiden Potter), Southeast Bulloch (Davis O'Dowd), East Jackson, GAC, North Hall, Cherokee Bluff, and Lumpkin County all in contention.