The time has come, and the stage is set. The high school cross country season culminates this Saturday in Carrollton as the top teams in the state of Georgia meet to see who will take home the state championship. Looking ahead to this weekend, here are the teams and individuals to watch for.
The times noted next to the school names signify the team’s fastest time of the year and which meet it occurred at. The times noted next to an individual’s name signify the runner’s fastest time of the year.
Class AAAAAA
Top Five Teams:
- Marietta (15:52-Adidas XC Challenge) Defending state champion
-Won Region 4-AAAAAA Meet
- Mill Creek (16:17-FSU Invitational)
-Won Region 7-AAAAAA Meet
- Milton (16:11-Bob Blastow Early Bird)
-Won Region 5-AAAAAA Meet
- Brookwood (16:12-4th Annual at&t Starr's Mill Panther XC Meet)
-Won Region 8-AAAAAA Meet
- Lambert (16:38-The Saucony XC Kickoff Classic)
-Won Region 6-AAAAAA Meet
Other top teams to watch:
Peachtree Ridge, Woodstock, Walton, Etowah, Parkview
Top individual runners to watch:
-Sam Costa 15:30 (Mill Creek)
-Jack Bluth 15:34 (Milton)
-Andrew Kent 15:36 (Lakeside, DeKalb)
-Carlos Torres 15:37(Marietta)
-John Green 15:44 (West Forsyth)
-Zach Israel 15:44 (Brookwood)
-Geoffrey McCullough 15:44 (Campbell)
-Ben Patterson 15:48 (Marietta)
-Gruem Tesfamariam 15:50 (Brookwood)
-Hayden Tullos 15:50 (Marietta)
-Kayvonn Benson 15:52 (Marietta)
-Nate Reichard 15:53 (Peachtree Ridge)
-David Savic 15:54 (Marietta)
-Jonathan Schwind 15:55 (Lambert)
-Noah Hollis 15:56 (Mill Creek)
-Davis Stockwell 16:13 (Lakeside, DeKalb) Defending state champion
Class AAAAA
Top Five Teams:
- Alexander (16:30-Douglas County Cross Country Championship)
-Won Region 5-AAAAA Meet
- McIntosh (16:43-Region 4-AAAAA XC Championships)
-Won Region 4-AAAAA Meet
- Forsyth Central (16:37-Bob Blastow Early Bird)
-Won Region 7-AAAAA Meet
- Cambridge (17:04-Bob Blastow Early Bird)
- Flowery Branch (16:59-Region 8-AAAAA Meet)
-Won Region 8-AAAAAA Meet
Other top teams to watch:
Starr's Mill, Creekview, Clarkston (Won Region 6-AAAAA Meet) (Defending state champion), Northgate, Allatoona, Lakeside-Evans (Won Region 2-AAAAA Meet), North Atlanta
Top individual runners to watch:
-Sam Bowie 15:33 (LaGrange)
-Colton Page 15:36 (Allatoona)
-Allen Clark 15:37 (Lakeside, Evans)
-Jake Shewbert 15:49 (Flowery Branch)
-Braeden Collins 15:57 (Alexander)
-Wilson Moore 15:58 (Chapel Hill)
Class AAAA
Top Five Teams:
- Marist (16:17-FSU Invitational)
Won Region 6-AAAA Meet
- St. Pius X (16:27-Hare & Hounds Invitational) Defending state champion
- Whitewater (16:25-Alexander/Asics Invitational)
-Won Region 5-AAAA Meet
- North Oconee (16:35-Mountain Invitational)
-Won Region 8-AAAA Meet
- North Hall (16:45-West Hall Invitational)
Other top teams to watch:
Johnson-Gainesville, Heritage-Catoosa (Won Region 7-AAAA Meet), Buford, Eagle’s Landing (Won Region 4-AAAA Meet)
Top individual runners to watch:
-Frank Pittman 15:36 (Marist)
-Thomas Moore 15:38 (North Oconee)
-Sean Parker 15:54 (Pickens County)
-Corson Teasley 15:55 (North Hall)
-Poncherella Leonard 15:56 (Bainbridge)
-Gerardo Suarez 15:57 (Johnson, Gainesville)
-Jimmy Brewster 16:00 (Marist)
Class AAA
Top Five Teams:
- Blessed Trinity (16:36-Alexander/Asics Invitational) Defending state champion
-Won Region 4-AAA Meet
- Westminster (16:55-34th Annual Westover Invitational)
- Oconee County (16:46-Alexander/Asics Invitational)
-Won Region 8-AAA Meet
- East Jackson (16:46-Alexander/Asics Invitational)
- Jefferson (17:23-Region 8-AAA Cross Country Meet)
Other top teams to watch:
West Hall, Dawson County (Won Region 7-AAA Meet), Savannah Arts (Won Region 1-AAA Meet), Jackson County, Banks County, Coahulla Creek (Won Region 6-AAA Meet), Calhoun
Top individual runners to watch:
-Chase Kennedy 15:32 (East Jackson) Defending state champion
-Chandler Kennedy 15:47 (East Jackson) Defending state runner-up
-Sam Ellis 15:52 (Decatur)
-Michael Hans 15:59 (Oconee County)
-Ben McCoy 16:07 (Blessed Trinity)
Class AA
Top Five Teams:
- Bleckley County (17:31-14th Annual Bay Invitational)
-Won Region 4-AA Meet
- Pace Academy (17:04-34th Annual Westover Invitational)
-Won Region 6-AA Meet
- Wesleyan (17:50-Hebron Lions HS/MS Showcase) Defending state champion
- Lovett (17:33-34th Annual Westover Invitational
- Holy Innocents' (17:48-Alexander/Asics Invitational)
Other top teams to watch:
Union County (Won Region 8-AA Meet), Model, Benedictine (Won Region 2-AA Meet), Darlington (Won Region 7-AA Meet), Bremen (Won Region 5-AA Meet), Armuchee, Social Circle, Riverside Military Academy
Top individual runners to watch:
-Jack Douglass 15:56 (Pace Academy)
-Everett Smulders 16:27 (Lovett)
-Nicholas Klavohn 16:34 (Lovett)
-Rob Warren 16:31 (Pace Academy)
-Ben Davies 16:40 (Holy Innocents')
-Carl Ellis Corley 16:54 (Bleckley County)
Class A-Private
Top Five Teams:
- Landmark Christian (17:14-Area 3A-Private School Meet)
-Won Area 5A-Private School Meet
- Hebron Christian (17:36-17th Annual Jesse Owens Classic) Defending state champion
-Won Area 2A-Private School Meet
- Providence Christian (18:07-Alexander/Asics Invitational)
- Paideia (17:39-Area 3A-Private School Meet)
- Athens Academy (18:13-Clarke-Oconee Cross Country Championships)
Other top teams to watch:
Galloway, North Cobb Christian, Whitefield Academy, Mt. Paran Christian (Won Area 6A-Private School Meet)
Top individual runners to watch:
-Sam Shaylor 15:54 (North Cobb Christian)
-Griffin McCauley 15:59 (Paideia)
-Mark Stein 16:31 (Hebron Christian)
-Austin Taylor 16:48 (Landmark Christian)
-Seth Cruver 16:49 (Landmark Christian)
-Max Heaberlin 16:50 (Paideia)
Class A-Public
Top Ten Teams:
- Drew Charter (19:14-Area 6A-Public School Cross Country Championship)
-Won Area 6A-Public School Meet
- Georgia Military College (19:49-Area 4A Public School Cross Country Championship)
-Won Area 2A-Public School Meet
- Atkinson County (19:58-Area 3A-Public School Meet)
-Won Area 3A-Public School Meet
- Montgomery County (20:17-Area 3A-Public School Meet)
- Baconton Charter (20:39-14th Annual Tift Invitational)
- Trion (20:48-Area 6A-Public School Cross Country Championship)
- Towns County (20:56-Area 4A-Public School Cross Country Championship)
- Jenkins County (21:04-Area 3A-Public School Meet) Defending state champion
- Echols County (20:57-Area 3A-Public School Meet)
- Hawkinsvile (21:30-Trinity XC Invitational)
Top individual runners to watch:
-Andres Abeja 18:13 (Atkinson County)
-Isreal Sanchez 18:52 (Montgomery County)
-Blake Bargeron 18:53 (Telfair County)
-Henry Cox 18:53 (Drew Charter)
-Adan Martinez 18:55 (Hawkinsville)
-Joseph Jones 19:01 (Drew Charter)
-Jay Acker 19:02 (Commerce)
-Tyler Grimsley 19:02 (Towns County)
About the Author
