The GHSA State Cross Country Championships were held this Friday and Saturday at the Carrollton course, with three classifications competing on the first day and five on the second. Here are the notable results from each class:
Class AAAAAAA: Two Forsyth County teams took first place in the state's largest class, winning each program's first-ever titles. The Lambert boys (1:24:44.05) denied Marietta (6th place) a third straight title in the state's largest class, and the South Forsyth girls (1:41:07.42) won comfortably over the next-closest competitor, Brookwood (1:44:30.84). Milton's Sam Bowers (16:06.57) took the boys title with Hayden Tullos (16:10.45) and Ben Patterson (16:19.07) of Marietta in second and third, and Liz Galarza (18:58.66) of West Forsyth won for the girls with South Forsyth's Kaylee DuPont (19:17.32) coming in second.
Class AAAAAA: The Alexander boys (1:25:18.82) won their second title all-time and first since 2000 thanks to two top-five finishes and a state title by Braeden Collins (16:16.08). Second-place Allen Clark (16:30.98) of Lakeside-Evans (5th place) was one of two Lakeside runners in the top five. Second-place Kira Stanley (19:52.88) was the top finisher for the Harrison girls (1:42:58.34), and Nyah Hernandez (19:30.25) of Creekview won the individual title. It was the Harrison girls' first state title since consecutive championships in 2000-01.
Class AAAAA: The Clarkston boys (1:28:44.81) won their third straight Class AAAAA title and third all-time as No. 7 Bineyam Tumbo (17:12.86) was the Angoras' top finisher.
Decatur's Sam Ellis (16:38.61) took first place. Woodland-Cartersville (1:45:09.52) was a first-time winner on the girls side with two top-10 finishes and No. 5 Carli Clymer (20:09.82) the top runner. Erin Leonard (19:17.97) of Jones County won the individual title. Starr's Mill took No. 2 in both the boys and girls races.
Class AAAA: DeKalb private schools swept Class AAAA on Saturday. The St. Pius X boys (1:24:23.89) won with three top-10 runners within seven seconds of each other, with No. 5 Frank Crippen (16:42.80) leading the way. Ben McCoy (16:24.11) of Blessed Trinity (3rd place) took the title. The Marist girls (1:39:51.64) won going away, with title-winner Josie Wirtz (19:15.00) and two others in the top 10. It's the St. Pius boys' ninth title and the Marist girls' 18th.
Class AAA: The East Jackson boys (1:24:48.27) won their first title with two top-10 runners and state champion Chase Kennedy (16:01.58) winning by over 40 seconds. Westminster, which finished second on the boys side, won the girls title (1:39:38.97) thanks to second-place finisher Delaney Graham (18:49.47) and the seventh- and eighth-place runners. Lovett's Serena Tripodi (18:17.85) won the individual title. It's the Westminster girls' 29th state title.
Class AA: Bleckley County swept, with the boys (1:31:18.51) edging out No. 2 Banks County (1:32:05.86) and the girls (1:59:08.41) besting No. 2 Rabun County (2:00:42.78) for team honors. Carl Ellis Corley (17:19.48) of Bleckley finished No. 1, with three Bleckley runners in the top 10. Macy Moe (22:04.21) took third for the Bleckley girls, and sisters Mari (21:37.18) and Alina Jablonski (21:52.90) of Monticello (non-qualifier) took first and second. It's the Bleckley boys' second-ever title and second in a row, and it's the girls' first.
Class A-Private: Landmark Christian pulled off a sweep in Friday's first races. The Landmark boys (1:29:44.21) took the title with three runners in the top five, with Seth Cruver (17:13.80) and Kermit Jackson (17:39.38) of Landmark finishing Nos. 1 and 2. The girls (1:40:03.76) had four top-10 runners, with Nicole Fegans (18:36.20) of Landmark taking the title. It is each program's 10th state championship.
Class A-Public: The Georgia Military boys (1:34:46.43) took the top two spots with Hunter Kimball (17:26.99) winning big and Aaron Kirkland (18:15.35) finishing second. It's Georgia Military's third boys title, winning in 2012-13. Towns County's girls (2:04:13.96) won, with ninth-place Hannah Whitehead their top runner. Alli Hay (20:57.28) of Pataula Charter (non-qualifier) finished first.
GHSA Cross Country State Championship Individual Top 5 Results
At Carrollton High School
5K Run
Class AAAAAAA Boys
1. Sam Bowers, Milton, 16:06.57; 2. Hayden Tullos, Marietta, 16:10.45; 3. Ben Patterson, Marietta, 16:19.07; 4. Dax Willette, Rockdale County, 16:20.50; 5. Chase Condra, Peachtree Ridge, 16:28.45
Class AAAAAAA Girls
1. Liz Galarza, West Forsyth, 18:58.66; 2. Kaylee DuPont, South Forsyth, 19:17.32; 3. Mary Kathryn Knott, Peachtree Ridge, 19:17.32; 4. Elizabeth Rice, Kennesaw Mountain, 19:29.28; 5. Elizabeth Saliba, Brookwood, 19:41.48
Class AAAAAA Boys
1. Braeden Collins, Alexander, 16:16.08; 2. Allen Clark, Lakeside-Evans, 16:30.98; 3. Adrian Hernandez, Allatoona, 16:44.57; 4. Joe Way, Lakeside-Evans, 16:48.48; 5. Koi Williams, Alexander, 16:48.87
Class AAAAAA Girls
1. Nyah Hernandez, Creekview, 19:30.25; 2. Kira Stanley, Harrison, 19:52.88; 3. Skylar English, Dacula, 19:57.52; 4. Micah Weathers, Winder-Barrow, 20:00.12; 5. Daryn Petitt, Richmond Hill, 20:08.80
Class AAAAA Boys
1. Sam Ellis, Decatur, 16:38.61; 2. Nick Nyman, Starr's Mill, 16:39.07; 3. Issac Hernandez, Johnson-Gainesville, 16:40.56; 4. Audrick Pyrroneau, Hiram, 16:49.52; 5. Harry Harp, Whitewater, 17:01.88
Class AAAAA Girls
1. Erin Leonard, Jones County, 19:17.97; 2. Megan Uszynski, McIntosh, 20:02.29; 3. Megan Dobso, Starr's Mill, 20:05.56; 4. Mackenzie Cromer, Union Grove, 20:06.40; 5. Carli Clymer, Woodland-Cartersville, 20:09.82
Class AAAA Boys
1. Ben McCoy, Blessed Trinity, 16:24.11; 2. Quinn Burden, Marist, 16:24.59; 3. Leif Andersen, Marist, 16:38.45; 4. Sean Parker, Pickens, 16:39.93; 5. Frank Crippen, St. Pius X, 16:42.80
Class AAAA Girls
1. Josie Wirtz, Marist, 19:15.00; 2. Nicole Pachuta, Oconee County, 19:41.88; 3. Kathleen Maley, Marist, 19:49.72; 4. Caroline McArthur, Oconee County, 19:52.01; 5. Kendall Nelson, Marist, 19:53.90
Class AAA Boys
1. Chase Kennedy, East Jackson, 16:01.58; 2. Jacob Poston, Dawson County, 16:43.74; 3. Chandler Kennedy, East Jackson, 16:44.05; 4. Devon Crow, North Hall, 16:50.56; 5. Everett Smulders, Lovett, 16:52.96
Class AAA Girls
1. Serena Tripodi, Lovett, 18:17.85; 2. Delaney Graham, Westminster, 18:49.47; 3. Sue Morales, East Jackson, 18:55.56; 4. Audrey Honiotes, Hart County, 19:06.45; 5. Grace Clements, Bremen, 19:42.60
Class AA Boys
1. Carl Ellis Corley, Bleckley County, 17:19.48; 2. Clayton Scarborough, Dodge County, 17:27.01; 3. Tristen Lynn, Toombs County, 17:51.00; 4. Samual Davidson, Banks County, 17:55.44; 5. Garrett Rogers, Bleckley County, 18:00.07
Class AA Girls
1. Mari Jablonski, Monticello, 21:37.18; 2. Alina Jablonski, Monticello, 21:52.90; 3. Macy Moe, Bleckley County, 22:04.21; 4. Alex Quarles, Model, 22:18.63; 5. Georgia Stockton, Rabun County, 22:38.46
Class A-Private Boys
1. Seth Cruver, Landmark Christian, 17:13.80; 2. Kermit Jackson, Landmark Christian, 17:39.38; 3. Alex van Schoor, Galloway, 17:51.53; 4. Brandon Potra, Hebron Christian, 17:55.35; 5. Kameron Jackson, Landmark Christian, 17:56.86
Class A-Private Girls
1. Nicole Fegans, Landmark Christian, 18:36.20; 2. Anna Marian Block, Athens Academy, 18:54.44; 3. Sophia West, Paideia, 19:35.48; 4. Sarah Foreman, Landmark Christian, 19:48.00; 5. Jackie Addy, Holy Innocents', 20:01.58
Class A-Public Boys
1. Hunter Kimball, Georgia Military, 17:26.99; 2. Aaron Kirkland, Georgia Military, 18:15.35; 3. Jasper Wilson, Gordon Lee, 18:51.53; 4. Dustin Reynolds, Seminole County, 19:04.78; 5. Jeremiah Furlow, Drew Charter, 19:05.30
Class A-Public Girls
1. Alli Hay, Pataula Charter, 20:57.28; 2. Kate Massey, Commerce, 22:04.45; 3. Monica Webb, Pelham, 22:31.21; 4. Nicole Presley, Baconton Charter, 22:50.41; 5. Macy Williams, Seminole County, 22:55.60
