The "Berry Barometer"
Boys
Brookwood was magnificent last season having the greatest team in GA HS history according to many who have been involved since close to the beginning of the Sport in Georgia. Guess what? They just re-loaded and the Broncs came out of the chute bucking, falling just short at Berry to neighbor Parkview by only 2 points. They were stronger from top to bottom, but the Panthers top 2 in Alec Klassen who was the individual champ in 15:43, and Steven Spevacek in 7th at 16:18 was the catalyst for the win. Jackson Wearn (16:08) and Sean Brennan (16:23) led the pack for Brookwood. Mill Creek was the next 5A team placing 6th with a 17:09 team average and were paced by Austin Boetje's 16:06. The other heavy hitters competing this week in 5A were at UGA's Equestrian Center including Peachtree Ridge and Walton with the 08' champ Lions coming out ahead with 81 points led by Individual champ Josh Brickell in 15:57. Walton placed 2nd led by Brian Sullivan's 8th place overall in 16:42. Collins Hill will come out of the closet this weekend at Knight's Spring Crossing in Cave Springs, Virginia and N. Gwinnett will be at Carrollton. The Woodstock duo of Alex Broome and Jared Richmond worked off each other the entire race turning in 16:21/16:22 respectively.
4A is going to be more competitive than 3A this season with Chapel Hill, Flowery Branch and Pope moving in who could give perennial powerhouse Marist a real run this Fall. The Chapel Hill "Monsters"- that's a barb- were impressive at Berry in 4th place at 16:54 led by Wade Voyles 15:54 performance which may mark him as the man to beat at Carrollton come November. I really don't know much about the UGA course but word is it's about the same speed as Berry per Coach Andy Christie of Mill Creek and others.... Flowery Branch was unusually tough this early in the season placing 3rd with a 17:18 average led by the ever improving Kenny Slavik at 16:22 and a healthy Maurice Riden at 16:47. Marist was off this week. Lakeside-DK also ran well at Berry carding a 17:22 led by John Ewing's solid 16:23. McIntosh may have lost Carl Eiffert to graduation but Sophomore newcomer Brad Hort in his first GHSA race had a nice 16:36! James Dwyer of Dunwoody had a stellar effort of 16:19 making him a top tier 4A Individual.
3A marked the return of a solid St.Pius X team that placed 3rd racing in the 4A/5A race with a 16:52 average led by veteran Brendan Hoban's smoking 15:54! Austin Sprague also was money in 16:41. North Hall competed in the smaller class race and Cody Barger (who was mystery man last Track season) is back in full force laying down a 15:54 after his 16:00 perormance at NEGA leading the Trojans to 2nd overall in the Team competition with a 17:18 avg. Brandon Lawson also ran well turning in a 17:04. Eagles Landing was off this week, but seems to return at Decision Bridge.....Zack Sims has been splendid thus far with a season best 15:36 at Blastow and running mate Keanan Joyner ain't too shabby at 16:03. An invigorated West Hall placed 4th at Berry with a 17:43 avg. led by vastly improved Team Captain Josh Pendley, who clocked a 16:08. Who said Hall County would be down this year? Justin Weaver of Pickens County also had a great race at 16:09 closing on Pendley the final 200 meters.
Westminster came out guns a blazin' at Berry winning the small school division with a stronger than usual early season effort in 17:16 displaying what has made them champions for many years now....tight tandem pack running. Their 1-5 Split (separation) was only :22. Cody Tedeso was the top gun on this day with a 17:06 followed by 17:11's from Spencer Nash and John Whelchel. Blessed Trinity showed great improvement from their 09' season with an 18:08 average led by Dylan Dimartino's 17:46 with Kyle Marchuk close behind in 17:57. Lovett actually competed in the big boy's race and did well turning in a 17:42 avg. led by stud Parker Whitlock's 16:42. North Oconee had a good day at UGA and was the top 2A squad with a18:00 avg. led by All-Staters Tripp Hurt in 17:02 and Ian Wraga in 17:09.
3 clear contenders have emerged for the A title run after 2 full weekends of racing and could make for the closest battle in recent history. Wesleyan's Wolves came out of their den in Norcross competing in the 4A/5A race at Berry with a 17:42 avg. and superior depth (for A) thru the top 7. Bradley Gossett and Drew Sutton led the pack in 17:01/17:02. Athens Christian competed at UGA on a similar track and had a 17:21 team time largely due to Joshua Jenkins 16:00, Josiah Jenkins 16:38 and Will Hayes' 16:59. Mount Paran ran well at Berry with a 17:39 avg. paced by Darryn Hutchinson's 16:22 and Taylor Hall's 17:16 Mt.Paran ran without Jake Anderson who is in re-hab from a foot injury, but has hopes of returning full strength by Regions. .Darlington also is on the radar with an 18:04 avg. led by Jesse Baker's 16:44. Galloway also had a strong showing led by Jake Grant's 17:07.
Girls
Ok, we've read a little of we're hurt, don't rank us this high, etc, etc....brought back memories of how my father (The late Tommy Taylor of Cairo) used to downplay his Track team every year and then they won State 3 months later. But Brookwood's gals looked pretty darn good at Berry winning the 4A/5A race in 20:27 defeating highly touted and Greenwall twins enriched Baylor School out of Chattanooga (though their top runner was in Slovenia) Not a bad early season effort when the outlook is to be much brighter come late October! The Lady Broncs were led by the pack running of Anakaren Lopez in 20:06, Ashley Buda in 20:14 and Payton Wilson in 20:23. Harrison was just behind Baylor for 3rd overall with a 20:33 avg. led by Maria Boff's 20:02 and Kaylee Issac's 20:06. North Gwinnett was at UGA and tore it up with a 20:09 team avg. led by Individual winner Jordan Humphrey in a fleet 18:52. Teamates Lauren Recchia and Rose Howell turned in 20:07 and 20:13 to help the Lady Bulldog effort. Walton hung tough for 2nd in the team scoring just 13 points behind and were led by Alexa Womack's 8th place 19:56 effort. Katherine Yost of Norcross established herself a top 5A runner with a 19:31.Milton's Annie Kelly had a nice race also at Berry in 19:42.
In 4A Girls Lakeside-Evans and Marist did not compete, but Lakeside DeKalb did at Berry and came out as the top 4A team of the week with a 21:07 avg. led by Meghan Wetterhall in 19:40 and Haley Keady's 20:18. Pope (new to 4A) was lurking not far behind with an avg. of 21:20 led by Jessica Hale's 20:46. Winder-Barrow and Whitewater were separated by only 6 points making for some great races coming up this season. Amanda Cope churned in a 20:04 for WB and Haley Hunt led WW with a 21:07. Dunwoody and McIntosh were also very closely matched. Dunwoody's Alex Cameron had a sizzling 19:08 and Rachel Tierney led McIntosh with a solid 20:30. Lambert showed improvement as a team from 09' coming in as the top 4A team at UGA with a 21:07 avg. led by perennial top runner Allie Schaich who torched Equestrian in 19:06. It will be interesting to see what shakes out at Carrollton next week as Lakeside-Evans will be there. Marist will be hosting the Double Dip Invitational. LS-Evans' Anna Bowles and Katie Townsend are currently the top guns in 4A and Sarah Bowles gives them an impressive threesome.
North Hall came out on top at Berry as the top 3a team this week after placing a close 2nd at NEGA last week. The Lady Trojans had a team average of 20:57 and were led by strong efforts from Ansley Lawson in 19:39 and Victoria Rogers in 20:17. West Hall had a surprisingly good day with a team avg. of 21:27. A trio of runners including Savannah Smith (20:26), Ryan Sharry (20:41) and Taylor Long (20:52) were big time for West Hall. What a job Coach Sam Borg is doing up there with that program! St. Pius X was heads over heels the top 3A squad at UGA carving out a 21:44 avg. led by Devon Dabney's 19:50 effort. Many 3A schools were off this weekend and nearly all will be competing this weekend. Jessie Dotson of White County had a strong performance at Berry in 19:43 placing 4th overall.
Although Westminster has not been on the radar yet, the Lady Cats did have a home meet vs Decatur and Coach Eubanks' squad had 12 athletes that were sub 23:, including Sahara Fletcher who clocked a 20:09. Traditionally Westminster comes out strong at the Carrollton Orthpaedic meet coming up. Blessed Trinity came out on top at Berry as the top 2A team competing in the small school race with a 20:44 avg. defeating 3A North Hall by 16 points. If one can remember, it was BT that unseated Westminster after 14 straight State titles winning 2 straight in 05' and 06'. Things may be swinging that way again as Natalie Kile led a very tight pack in 20:24 followed by Anna Gandolfo (20:33), Kate Beechum (20:38) and Bailey Williams (20:50). Lovett competed in the Big Girls race and came out of the fray with a 21:13 avg. just behind 4A power LS DeKalb. Freshman Hailey Branch (a product of some fine coaching as a Middle Schooler by Coach Walter Pinion) had a strong 19:43 in some congested racing. Lauren Kester of Greater Atlanta Christian is back on track after a resurgence late in the 2010 Track season burning up Berry in 19:20. GAC (22:02) also may be developing a little depth making them a contender for a podium spot this Fall. Sophia Artusa also turned in a 21:04. Madalyn Waters of Dawson County had a great effort at UGA with a sporty 19:32. Brittany Aikens of Jackson County and Sherry Blaylock of East Jackson are strong contenders that didn't compete this weekend.
Everyone who visits this website knew they were coming for almost 2 years and in their first BIG race, First Prebyterian Day out of Macon made a nice splash placing 6th in the 4A/5A race with a slighty skewed 20:12 team average. Sophomore Grace Tinkey had her coming out party racing against many of Georgia's finest scorching the field in 17:57. Tinkey did it in the 2nd and 3rd miles putting :42 between herself and runnerup Tenley Godfrey of Baylor for an overall pace of 5:48 a mile. Teamate Victoria Coppage also had a great run clocking a 19:02 along with Jessica Smith in 20:21. Who can possibly defeat this team in 1A if they stay healthy and if they improve peaking in November, could they be one of the greatest A teams ever? How about Coach Parrish's Darlington Girls turning in a 21:47 avg. to best Wesleyan head to head? Ansley McDurmon led the way in 20:47 follwed by a pack in 2-4 led by Lindsay Evans (21:13). The Wesleyan ladies were only 12 points behind though led by former champ Erika Ramsey in 20:23. Athens Christian was at UGA and ground out a 21:31 team avg. led by NEGA champ Destiny Jenkins who placed 5th overall in 19:41 and Freshman Taylor Noggle kicked in a 21:09. Galloway had a nice race at Berry placing 8th in the small school race at 22:08 led by Anna Gabianelli in 21:03. Landmark Christian did not compete this week but have a strong trio of runners led by defending A champ Lindy Long (19:00pr at Blastow) and Lana Hojeig and Kaylin Deel.