Boys Preview
So, you want to see a close team race where maybe most team’s number 6 and number 7 runners will decide the champion, well look no further than the boy’s race. With a very well balanced field, the boy’s title is up for grabs! Riverwood comes in as the only ranked boy’s team in the field (6th-AAA) and is the slight favorite. Coach Seales will have his team very prepared for a dog-fight for the title with much-improved Milton and waiting in the wings are Northview, Roswell, Alpharetta & Chattahoochee if any of those top-2 teams falter. The individual race is just as unpredictable as Riverwood boasts 2 runners under 17 and one about to break 17 with their front-running trio of Conner McDaniel, James Ryden & Phillip Jones, any of which will contend. Chattahoochee counters with top-time performer Austin Erickson and Roswell’s Cameron Wagenbrenner will also be up front. Throw in Ryan Kelly, Alex Marshall & Anthony Machan from Milton, all of whom are close to that magical sub-17 and you have a great race on tap!
Girls Preview
Fulton County continues to field some of the best teams in the state and 2010 is no exception. With ranked teams Milton (4th-AAAAA & 5th All-Class), Roswell (7th-AAAAA), Northview (10th-AAAAA), Centennial (12th-AAAAA) & Alpharetta (15th-AAAAA) the girl’s race is virtually a Region 6 & state meet preview in the AAAAA classification. Throw in Riverwood (10th-AAA) and you have a very stacked field. Milton looks to be the favorite with big wins over Marist & Walton in consecutive weekends. Roswell should contend with strong top-3 finishes also these past few weeks. On the individual side of things it will be tough battle between John’s Creek state champion Allie Buchalski (3rd in 2009) and recent transfer to Milton Annie Kelly (Warpath Inv Champion in 19:09). Both are in top-form and the race may come down to the last few hundred meters and many feel the course record (18:57-Brett McDaniel, Riverwood, 2009) maybe in jeapordy! Right behind those two is Rachel Thorne of Alpharetta who is having a very strong sophomore campaign. In fact, these 3 ladies are all sophomores! Other top-5 contenders include seniors Brooke Koblitz & Kelly Meyer of Centennial, Emily Hall of Northview and the trio of Lauren Jones, Maddie Butzer & Olivia Koerner, all of Milton.