4A Girls Pre-Season Outlook Claud Spinks Aug 12, 2015

Once again the Marist girls are the favorites. There seem to be close to half a dozen schools who could snag the last 3 podium spots. The theme among those schools in the lower end of the top 10...finding help at 4 and 5. The teams that do that will move up.

4A Boys Pre-Season Outlook Claud Spinks Aug 10, 2015

Once again AAAA is loaded. When you know your competition is good you have to step up your training. That appears to be happening with the top teams in AAAA. Rumors say that several teams have run big miles this summer. There are also rumors of big time move - ins. It will be interesting how all this shakes out over the course of the season.

Eagle's Landing HS is Getting a New Track! Claud Spinks Dec 16, 2012

Eagle's Landing AD/Head XC and Track Coach Claude Spinks stands on top of  a pile of the old asphalt Track to announce it will be replaced during early 2013 with a new 'all-weather' Track!  Over the years Henry County High Schools have had a number of state champions in track and field. Last year alone there were at least 10 state champions or runner-ups from Henry County public schools. However, none of the public schools have ever had an all-weather track to train on. Every public school in the county trained on asphalt. In some cases, as at Eagle’s Landing High School, the asphalt tracks were so old and broken down it was safer to train in parking lots or on grass fields. Only when the athletes traveled to meets outside the county or at private schools were they able to run on a “real” track. That is all changing this  spring. Eagle’s Landing High School has an “all weather” being installed. It won’t be ready this spring but sometime over the summer. Two other schools are currently slated to have all-weather tracks installed in the next year – Stockbridge High School and the new Hampton High School.

AAA State Preview Claud Spinks Nov 02, 2010

Coach Claude Spinks of Eagle's Landing previews a great team race for the Girls title and a barnburner for the Boys Individual title.

 Zach Sims, Bendan Hoban and Adam Jones will be busy this Saturday!

Henry County XC Championship Preview Claud Spinks Oct 10, 2007

              Preview of the Henry County Championships by Coach Claude Spinks

The cross country coaches of Henry County have been looking for a “county” cross country course for some time. One day a couple of the coaches were talking and almost simultaneously mentioned a piece of property that they had seen on Jonesboro Rd. about 6 miles west of I-75. After inquiring about possibly using the property as a cross country course, the local commissioner was on board 100%. She said she wanted to have something going on at the property all the time, especially if it involved young people.

      The property is called Nash Farm Battlefield. It is the final and southernmost site of the Battle of Atlanta. It is also the only Battle of Atlanta site south of Kennesaw Mountain that has not been developed or paved over. The site is 204 acres of rolling pasture land bordered by thick woods. The property also has several historic buildings and the county intends to use it as an educational location for the local schools.

      The course itself was laid out this summer. After a 1/3 mile start the runners enter a 1.35 mile figure 8 that is run twice. Almost nothing is flat and while it is improving, the footing is not yet smooth to say the least. Most is grass with about 20% of the course being gravel. One very significant aspect of the course is the spectator friendliness. From a vantage point at the entrance to the figure 8, a spectator can see the runners every step for about 90% of the course.

      While not yet at the level of some counties, this year’s Henry County Championships should be the most competitive ever. The Union Grove girls are the favorite in the girl’s team race. In addition to their win at the horse park, their sub 21 performance at Westover is the standard for Henry County girls this year. Battling behind Union Grove are the girls from Luella, Eagle’s Landing High School and Stockbridge. For the girls individually Allison Bishop of Woodland is the favorite. Kayla Mullholland of Luella, Madeline McCane and Tina Estrem of Union Grove and Kelsey Spinks of Eagle’s Landing will challenge Allison. Track star Talisha Rice of Stockbridge also appears to be running well at just the right time. On the boy’s team side, Eagle’s Landing seems to have a very slight edge over a rapidly improving group from Union Grove and the tight pack of Luella boys. Last year’s county champions, Stockbridge, may also be getting fast late in the season with a young Ola team looking like they will challenge for a spot high on the team side. Several strong boys will battle for the individual title. Sony Prosper and Daniel Kilfoye of Union Grove are getting faster as the season progresses; Nathan Allen of Stockbridge is a threat as well as TJ McClemons of Luella. Joe Cromer and Jamel Wood of Eagle’s Landing should also be a factor in the boy’s race.