9th Milton XC Invitational Meet Preview
By Coach Andy Carr
It's time to see who really the strongest team in the state as 27 schools converge on the notorious North Fulton course this Saturday morning at Milton HS to contest their Invitational meet for the 9th Milton XC Invitational. This will be the home Eagles largest meet ever on this historic course with over 1300 runners slated to compete. The course is unchanged since first used in 2007 with the course records of Sam Bowers (16:19-2017) & Lindsay Billings (18:43-2016) still the standards and doubt they are in danger with the impending wet weather forecasted to move into the area.
GIRLS TEAM
It looks like a region rivalry will be put to the test as 7A's Region 6 squads South Forsyth & Milton will battle on the home Lady Eagles course with the down-the-road Lady Titans of Blessed Trinity in the mix! On paper the War Eagles of South look like the overwhelming favorites and have shown early on this season they are racing well and contending for a state podium. A solid 3rd at the Pickens Preview meet behind 7A powers Marietta & Harrison and a runner-up at the North Georgia Champs only losing to 4A top-ranked North Hall shows that South is ready for a meet win. The runner-up race will be a good one if things play out as they should as the host Lady Eagles will be neck and neck with Blessed Trinity. Both teams have up-front strength, but it will come down to both of their 5th runners to see who prevails and maybe even their 6th & 7th finishers as well!
Other teams to watch: Sequoyah, Riverwood, Cambridge & Northview
BOYS TEAM
This will be an exciting battle the entire race as the top-4 teams could be within 20 points of each other once the racing is complete. The Pythons of Paideia are having a successful early season, and this will be their 4th meet but are a close favorite to take the title. A strong runner up at the Fowlkes Memorial to Cambridge, a convincing win in the varsity division at the North GA Champs and a solid 6th just last weekend out of 39 teams at the AT&T Starr's Mill Invite show this 1A school can literally run with the big boys! Close behind are the Titans of Blessed Trinity, the home Eagles of Milton & Riverwood and all have upfront presence but have gaps to their 5th runner. The Pythons counter with depth and a solid pack and can pull-off the win and have no finishers in the top-10 overall! With some teams missing top-runners due to ACT testing the boy's race should be close but it's hurting some other programs that would normally factor into the title chase.
Other teams to watch: South Forsyth, Sequoyah, Cambridge, Loganville & Johns Creek
GIRLS INDIVIDUALS
South Forsyth's Yonas sisters, senior Carmel & junior Isabel will be the ones to watch as they lead their War Eagles but let's not overlook senior Alexa Hoppenfeld of Riverwood International who is making her season debut. All have podiumed at the state meet in their respective classes with Carmel 2nd at the Pickens Preview & 3rd at the North Georgia Champs already this season. Isabel was 5th at Pickens & 7th at North Georgia. Alexa has a history of front running and is the defending 6A 3200m state champion in track. Look for Cambridge senior Anna Filipek who has raced this course before and was 3rd at the Fowlkes Memorial meet earlier this season. Blessed Trinity's Claire Petersen will figure in the mix as the Titan junior has run the fastest time of this group (19:04) this season & was 3rd at the Early Bird Invitational.
Others to watch: The home Lady Eagles duo of junior Ella Grace Malcom & senior Sydney Anderson with Malcom having the 5th fastest time on the course by any Milton athlete and just won the War Eagle Invite at Chestatee just two weeks ago & was the Milton Time Trial winner. This will be Malcom's 6th race on this course. Anderson was 2nd to Malcom at Chestatee and was 3rd overall at the Apalachee Opener meet.
BOYS INDIVIDUALS
South Forsyth's senior Ben Bergey is the prohibitive favorite and defending boys champion after running the 6th best time ever on the Milton course. Bergey's win at the North Georgia Champs meet shows he is in good form and may take a run at making the top-5 record board billboard/sign that sits at Milton's finish line. Figuring in the title hunt is Milton senior Cory Chambers who has raced this course 7 times previously and was the Eagles time trial winner running the 10th fastest time by a Milton runner on his home course just a month ago. Chambers followed that up with a PR and runner-up at the Apalachee Season Opener & an overall win at the Chestatee War Eagle Invite. Riverwood senior Ryan Hoppenfeld may be up there after his 28th at Early Bird & 11th at the Kosh Classic on the tough Westminster layout. Senior Matthew Coates of Chamblee bested Hoppenfeld at Kosh by finishing 9th and will play a role in the top 5.
Others to watch: Junior Ryan Sewczwicz & sophomore Loden Kohrman of Blessed Trinity, senior Ani Tesfaye of Loganville, the Lakeside-Evans duo of senior Sean Henson & junior Iziq Thomas & senior Sequoyah's Clay Tucker.
EAGLE CUP
Unique to this meet is the awarding of the Eagle Cup. The overall program which scores the best in all six races contested (open/JV/Varsity) will be awarded the Eagle Cup and will get their school's name on the permanent trophy, receive a team trophy, and will have a waived entry fee to the 2023 10th Milton XC Invitational. The Lambert Longhorns are the two-time defending Eagle Cup champions from 2019 & 2021 but are not running their varsity (they are racing at Carrollton) so there is most likely going to be a new Eagle Cup Champion and it may come down to the open & JV races from early in the meet that may determine the winner! Past Eagle Cup champions include South Forsyth (2018), Marist (2007) and host Milton (2008-2011).