The Branch Soars High Repeating as 3A Champs, Vassey Gets Redemption
The Falcons had been steadily improving and getting healthy throughout the season and began showing signs of their 2008 form with an impressive win at Last Chance with a 17:20 team average besting a North Hall squad who had defeated them twice earlier in the season and at the Hall Co. championships. Then, North Hall came back strong in winning the 7AAA meet setting the stage for a climatic matchup in Carrollton. It was the Falcons day though as they scored 72 points relying on their depth placing 4 runners in the top 18. Leading their hunt was David Farist placing 5th in 16:21 and Kenny Slavik placing 9th in 16:28. Coach Sorrell's added, "I am just proud of my boy's and girl's for not giving up and believing in the training. Simply put, we wanted to put our best effort out there today and let it be what it would be. It turned out great! Eagles Landing's timing also could not have been better as they hit on all cylinders turning in great performance taking the runnerup slot on the Podium. Zack Sims placed 8th in 16:24 leading the pack with solid efforts by Keanan Joyner in 16th with 16:57 and the trio of Luis Reyes, Mackenzie Marcelin and Ryan New's :04 spread was key. Coach Spinks commented, "We talk from the first day of practice what day we are getting ready for - the day of state." Creekview also had a good run placing 3rd overall led by Landry Bennett's 11th place finish in 16:39. Ty McCormack and Cody Barger led North Hall to a 4th place team finish and we all wish the best for Brandon Lawson who collapsed on the final hill and was hospitalized.
Nathan Vassey of Woodward Academy had competed against both McCormack of North Hall and Charlie Sparks (twice) and came up on the short end. But on the one day that it really matters he came up big running a well executed race biding his time and with 700 meters to go took the lead passing Sparks and never looked back with a swooft 15:39. McCormack gave chase to Vassey but was unable to close the gap placing 2nd in 15:47. Sparks held on for 3rd place in 15:58 followed by North Hall's Barger in 16:16. Other top 10 individuals not previously mentioned were Brendan Hoban of St. Pius placing 6th in 16:22, Trevor Grant of Lambert in 7th with a 16:23 and James Dwyer of Dunwoody in 16:34.
St.Pius X Lady Golden Lions Roar to 3A Team Title
In what was certain to be a tight race, St. Pius on the strength of their top 4 runners grabbed the team title scoring 99 points outdistancing the field. Former 4A Individual champ Kathleen LaPorte led the hunt for the Lady Lions placing 6th overall in 19:34 with running mate Devon Dabney only meters behind her placing 8th in 19:44. Taylor Glenn and Erin Osment's performances were also big time. Creekview and Flowery Branch had a reversal of fortune in their outcome at State, as only a week earlier the Lady Falcons took a narrow 3 point win in Gainesville. However, when other teams are thrown into the mix with strong individual runners, team scorers at region can get spread apart in the numbers game and this week Creekview defeated Flowery Branch at every position excluding #1 and their #5 runner finished only 1 spot behind Branch's 5. Cori Dulmage led the charge for Creekview with a 12th place 20:29 effort. Kiara Woods was in the mix for an individual title placing 2nd to lead the Branch to a 3rd place team effort. Heritage-Catoosa is one of the programs that flies a bit under the radar as some of the meets they compete in (like 6-AAA) did not submit results to the site although they were consistently ranked in the top 10. It played to their advantage in Carrollton as most of their races are held on tougher tracks as they arose to the final podium position with 139 points. Stephanie Shipley led the way for the Lady Generals placing 9th in 20:03.
In what is now becoming very common at Georgia state meets another Freshman girl enjoyed an Indidvidual title. Allie Buchalski of John's Creek allowed Lambert's Allie Schaich to control the race and began closing on her near the 800 meter mark pulling away unchallenged for the win in 18:28. Woods of Flowery Branch passed Schaich beginning the ascent up the final hill and finished a strong 2nd in 18:37. Schaich maintained her position in 3rd closing her race in a time of 18:49. Anne Centner of Oconee County worked her way around the course in her last GHSA XC race placing 4th with a stout 19:06. Other top 10 finishers not mentioned above were Bret McDaniel of Riverwood in 19:31, Brittany Aikens of Jackson County placing 7th in 19:39 and Leanne Zimmer of Lambert in 9th clocking a 19:45.
