2012 Mountain Invitational Preview Article
This year’s Mountain Invitational is bigger than ever, as 32 high schools and 24 middle schools will bring over 1600 runners ready to charge up and over that hill. Heavy rain early in the week should calm down to give us decent conditions for Thursday’s race. High humidity will combine with highs in the 70s, cooling down as we get to the Varsity races at 5:00 and 5:30.
The girls race will be very exciting, with several ranked schools going at it for the top 3 trophies. While a virtual meet doesn’t always tell the whole story, you could see the top 7-8 teams within 25 points of one another. AAAA #4 Chestatee, AAA #6 North Hall, AAA #5 White County, AAA #9 West Hall, and A #4 Athens Christian do business with AAAAAA South Forsyth, AAAAAA Grayson, and AAAAAA Chattahoochee. Any of these teams could grab a trophy with a good team run and it’ll probably be impossible to tell a turnout until the results are tabulated.
Individually, we should see 2 very talented freshman go at it with White County’s Jenna Gearing and South Forsyth’s Savannah Carnahan. Both have won major invitationals this year and should make for a great race. Chestatee’s duo of Tori Mullinax and Sarah Beth English will also be in the discussion for individual champion, along with North Hall’s Victoria Rodgers and Chattahoochee’s Charity Starkes. Top 15 medals will all go to very deserving girls as there appears to be around that many girls under the 21 minute mark.
The boys team race is for 2nd place. North Hall is in a tight battle for a AAA state title with St. Pius and Woodward and they are ranked in the All Classification poll. Hart County (AAA #5) looks ready to contest for the 2nd place trophy along with AAAAAA Chattahoochee, AAAA Chestatee, A#6 Athens Christian, and AAA #9 West Hall. AAAAAA Grayson, South Forsyth, and West Forsyth should battle with AAAAA Gainesville, AAA Buford, and A Lakeview for top 10 team spots.
If you want a top 15 medal in the boys race, you might have to break the 17:00 mark. North Hall’s 4 headed monster will surely push itself and will most likely give us our individual champion, as Whit Nix, Tucker LoCicero, Bryce Schuebert, and Zack Hill will chase after former teammate Brandon Lawson’s course record of 15:40.77 (2011 Region 8AAA Championships). Ross Morris of Hart, Morgan Bishoff of Athens Christian, Ryan Peppenhorst of South Forsyth, and Kai Skop of Chattahoochee should do their part in breaking up a North Hall sweep as all look to push well into the mid 16s.
Come out to Unicoi and enjoy a great day of racing!
Coach Borg