Georgia Boys and Girls 6A Cross Country Season Preview

The 6A individual race is as wide open a race as you're going to find in the state, as there are about 15 guys that all have a very similar pedigree.  If you're looking for a 4:2X/9:4X guy on the track, then 6A has your man.  If you are looking for a 16:40-17:00 Carrollton guy, then 6A has your man again.  Some of the numbers might be a little higher here or lower there, but all of these guys have followed a similar trajectory.  So, how do you differentiate between them?  You really can't in any practical sense.  Based on summer training, coaching, and a little luck, we'll have to wait to see who separated themselves from the others.  If we had to pick a top ten, this would be our list: 

The 6A team race should be outstanding, with many contenders meeting in the state meet for the first time. Traditional powerhouses find themselves with fresh-faced, relatively inexperienced teams. Other schools, not known for cross country, look very good. How it all plays out is anyone's guess.

Roswell drops down from 7A, where they finished 6th, with a solid returning crew.  On paper, the Hornets seem to be the early favorite, but there are several teams with them.  Some may consider North Atlanta the choice contender, finishing 3rd in 6A last year and returning 6 of their top 7.  Blessed Trinity has to replace a lot of talent from 2021, but they have depth and look to do very well.  Finally, don't sleep on Pope.  They're returning a solid crew and had an excellent track season.  Any of these teams could win the state title.

Who could be looking to spoil the party?  The Catholic schools have two other traditional powerhouses: St. Pius and Marist. Both face a steep learning curve, each having to replace the bulk of their squads from 2021 and are inexperienced compared to previous years. Etowah, Alexander, and Sequoyah could also make some noise.  Rome returns all seven runners and looks to improve on a 16th-place finish last year.  It's going to be an exciting race.