Girl’s Preview
Marist appears to be the clear favorite on the girl’s side, boasting #2 AAAA and #10 All-Class rankings. Whitewater (ranked #5 in AAAA), Wheeler and Chapel Hill appear to be pretty close to each other on paper, while Columbus (ranked #4 in AAA) and Eagle’s Landing (#10 AAA) are also in the hardware hunt. A nice Class A match-up between Galloway (ranked #6) and Pinecrest Academy (ranked #7) could be a preview of potential podium teams come November.Brookwood and Roswell are resting their varsity teams this week and will run their JV squads only.
Individual favorites include Sophie Harkins of Marist and Allison Brackin of Wheeler. Harkins has a fastest time of 19:14 this year, but has raced on 4 slower-than-average courses. Brackin was second last week at Warpath also with a 19:14, and finished 2nd here last year in an epic duel with 2009 State Champion Allie Buchalski. Lindy Long of Landmark Christian should also be up front, having posted a 19:10 on the quick Early Bird layout.
Others in the mix for top-10 spots include Kate Northrop (Marist), Sam Kiblinger (Wheeler), Ashley Taylor (North Paulding), Lana Hojeij (Landmark Christian), Kristina Delpesche (Columbus), Jessica Zalzman (Pinecrest Academy), Ashton Lord (Chapel Hill), Anna Gabianelli (Galloway), and Alana Hood and Haley Hunt (Whitewater).
Boy’s Preview
The boy’s race features a host of top ranked squads with limited full-strength exposure to each other thus far this season. St. Pius (#1 AAA and #4 All-Class) beat Chapel Hill (#1 AAAA and #3 All-Class) at Berry with both squads missing runners from their top 5. A semi-short-handed Marist (#2 in AAAA and #10 All-Class) beat St. Pius (sans Hoban) at Double Dip. Chapel Hill won Carrollton at full strength, while Eagle’s Landing (ranked #3 in AAA and as high as #8 All-Class) has posted impressive wins at Early Bird and Decision Bridge. Wheeler (#9 in AAAAA) was right on Eagle’s Landing’s heels at Early Bird. St. Pius won at Altitude last weekend with their first full-strength effort of the season. Galloway (7th in Class A) posted a nice win at Wesleyan on Monday and could challenge as well.
Brookwood’s varsity takes a much deserved breather this week, and will send its harriers to compete only in the JV division.
On the individual side, on deck is a potential 3-way battle up front between Brendan Hoban (St. Pius), Zack Sims (Eagle’s Landing) and Wade Voyles (Chapel Hill). Sims is undefeated this year, having posted wins at Luella, Early Bird, Decision Bridge and Battle of Atlanta. Hoban won at Altitude, and was just a step behind Voyles at Berry. Voyles was 2nd at Berry and 1st at Carrollton.
Right behind that lead pack are a host of heel-nippers looking to play spoiler for a top 3 spot. Scott Selvey and Matthew Weber have flip-flopped Marist’s 1 and 2 spots thus far and will likely be up front. St. Pius freshman Austin Sprague posted an impressive 16:41 at Berry, and a perhaps more impressive 17:14 at Altitude. Adonis Gaines of Chapel Hill ran well at Carrollton, while Wheeler’s duo of Robert Kiblinger and Adel Yoonis have posted strong early showings. Keenan Joyner of Eagle’s Landing ran a quick16:03 at Early Bird. Others sure to be near the front of the field include Adam Jones (Columbus), Calvin Henry and Jake Grant (Galloway), Calvin Tirrell, Colin O’Leary and Lee Kaufman (St. Pius), and Ben Campbell (Marist).
The meet kicks off at 7:55 am Saturday morning.
Clinton Nature Preserve is roughly 25 minutes west of downtown Atlanta, about 3 miles off I-20.