Should be some intense racing at the Cobb County Championships this weekend.
The Annual Cobb County Cross Country Championships will take place Saturday morning at the beautiful Allatoona Creek Park.
Racing will be hot Saturday afternoon, but temperatures will be cool and the course could be wet and sloppy. Spectators, you may need to be bussed over from nearby schools. Information will be sent out as soon as possible. Either way it will be a fun day of racing.
This may be the only race with a clear favorite, oh wait, favorites. Peachtree Ridge and Brookwood have been the top two teams all season. Currently, Peachtree Ridge has a 2 to 1 advantage head to head, but by a combined 3 points margin of victory. If either or both the Lady Lions and Lady Broncos don’t have a good day, their lie some Lady Hoyas and Lady Blue Devils ready to pounce.
2013 is a year of parity for the largest classification in Georgia Cross Country. Both in team and individual races, there are no clear favorites in the way that has become the custom in recent years. Coaches will be busy doing quick scores in anticipation of the team outcome, even shooting video of the finish. This will be race for the ages..
It was a hot day at Allatoona Park (Cobb County Corps Properties) that turned an always close meet into a war of attrition. With temps in the mid-80s, limited shade, and some tall grass in areas, it wouldn’t appear to be a chance for many PRs, but we saw some very tough competition and some relatively fast times. In the end, Marietta proved to be the dominate team on both the boys and girls sides.
The Cobb County Track and Field Championships will take place Saturday and Monday at Marietta High School. Expect some great performances in this highly competitive meet.
Saturday Heat Sheets https://dop3o1hd82eb7.cloudfront.net/user_files/11171/heat sheets saturday.pdf
Field Events https://dop3o1hd82eb7.cloudfront.net/user_files/11171/field events.pdf
Meet Schedule https://dop3o1hd82eb7.cloudfront.net/user_files/11171/meet schedule.pdf
Monday Performance List https://dop3o1hd82eb7.cloudfront.net/user_files/11171/performance list monday.pdf
Location:
Cobb County Corps Property
5690 Old Stilesboro Rd.
Acworth, Ga 30101
Girls JV - 3:45 p.m.
Boys JV - 4:30 p.m.
Varsity Girls - 5:10 p.m.
Varsity Boys - 5:50 p.m.
Girls Preview:
For the first time in a few years, the top teams from Cobb County will get to race without homecoming or other interruptions. Harrison comes into the meet ranked #1 in the state and should be the clear favorite. Walton will be without a couple of their top runners, but hope to do their best to defend their county title against the Hoyas. Lassiter adds another top 10 in 5A and Allatoona is #1 in 3A, both should be fighting for a podium spot. Individually, defending champion Marcie Merriman should be at the front with her hard charging tactics, however she'll have her hands full with Molly Schenck from Pope running great and some fast times run by Kaylee Isaacs of Harrison and Alexa Womack of Walton this season.
Boys Preview:
The Walton boys come in a clear favorite, ranked #2 in all-class and hope to gain their first county title in three years. However, if the Raiders slip up there are some strong teams ready to take them down. Pope is ranked #3 in 4A and #10 all-class after a great race at Westover, while a young Harrison team and a resurgent Marietta moving up the 5A rankings. Individually, Patrick Fleming has the fastest times in the county this year, but should expect a challenge from the Walton trio of Brian Sullivan, Kenan Farmer, and RJ Torres. Andrew Maritim of Kennesaw Mountain, Steven Summey of Kell, and Adel Yoonis of Wheeler should also be in the lead group around the Corps property.
Expect some warm weather and even hotter competition on the course Saturday afternoon.
Thanks,
Travis Gower
Preview of the 2010 Stage Races by Coach Travis Gower of Walton HS.
The Cobb County Track and Field Championships will be held Saturday and Monday at McEachern High School in west Cobb. This year will see a record number of entries at one of the finest track and field facilities in the state. Field events begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday with the 4 x 800m relays starting at 10 a.m. All other running events begin at noon Saturday with the 1600m being the only Saturday afternoon running final. All other finals will be on Monday.
by Coach Travis Gower
After a one year absence, the Cobb County Cross Country Championship has returned and brought a new course with it. Saturday the best of the best of Cobb County will congregate in the northwest corner on the Army Core of Engineer land.
The boys race brings in the top teams and top individuals in the state. Walton is ranked #1 in both AAAAA and the all-classification rankings and Lassiter is ranked #2 in both. Last time they race, Walton nipped Lassiter by 1 point at the hilly Bulldog Stampede. How will they end up with the much flatter terrain on the Army Core Land? Walton will be led by Mark Viglotti and Thomas Pilliod, who have stepped out Jay Heller's shadow to lead the Raiders. Lassiter will be led by the veteran Zack Flickinger. Marietta, ranked #9 in AAAAA, is coming off a second place finish at the Gunderson Invitational last week and looks to get in the mix as well led by Obiandu Igwe and Frank Van Valkenburg. Individually you have Flickinger, Igwe, Viglotti, Pilliod, Miles Svoboda of Pope, Matt Cleaver of Wheeler, J.P. Hackney of Kell, and about a dozen other individuals from around the county that could find their way into the top 10. Flickinger has victories at Carrollton and Bulldog, the latter over Cleaver and Hackney. Svoboda is a veteran with 4:16 mile credentials, Cleaver finished 3rd at State last year, Hackney has a victory at Carrollton (different race), and Igwe is the young talent ready for a breakout race.
The girls race will probably result in more questions than answers. Kennesaw Mountain comes in the only ranked team (#5 in AAAAA) and should be considered the favorite. However, Walton and Lassiter bring their usual depth and always do well at county. Another team that always seems to have a stake at county is Harrison, but it appears they are resting some of their varsity. So, will the team that wins county be the best team in the county come November? Individually, Leila Norman of Walton is a past champion and is entered, but she has not been racing all season due to an injury. Kennesaw Mountain is led by Serra Stallings who has some quick times this season. Lassiter's Kathleen Wilson has a victory at Carrollton and a top finish at the Bulldog Stampede. Pope's Aliska Kalmeijer and McEachern's Whitney Nwagbara have also finished well in some of the early season's large invitationals. Is there someone else that will step up and take one of the top spots?
Come out and see for yourself Saturday afternoon.
Girls JV - 3:30 p.m.
Boys JV - 4:15 p.m.
Girls Varsity - 5:00 p.m.
Boys Varsity - 5:45 p.m.
Directions (from Marietta):
Take Highway 41 North to Mars Hill Road, turn LEFT on Mars Hill Road, just past Kemp Elementary and Durham Middle School, turn RIGHT onto County Line Road, about 1 mile down County Line Road, turn RIGHT onto Old Stilesboro Road, the course is 1/4th of a mile on the right. Look for the Hunting Parking sign (don't worry the races are well after hunting hours).
Coach Gower\'s Day 2 Blog from the Footlocker Nationals in San Diego.
Coach Gower\'s daily report from Footlocker Nationals in San Diego.
Some of the best teams and individuals in AAAAA will go head to head at McEachern High School on Monday and Tuesday. The stakes are high as region titles and state births could go in many directions.