Bleckley County girls win state XC title, again, and ACE girls champs; Brentwood girls win in GISA
Like the regularity of leaves changing colors and then falling to the ground, Bleckley County wins another running trophy.
The Royals rolled to their fourth straight GHSA girls state AA cross country title Saturday morning with 59 points, cruising past Oglethorpe County by 37 points, putting six runners in the top 25.
Brentwood girls tops in GISA
Six Brentwood runners finished in the top 20, and the War Eagles needed every one to hold off Briarwood to win the Class AA girls state cross country title.
Brentwood topped a seven-team field with 43 points, edging Briarwood by three points.
Lauren Hood’s fifth-place finished paced the War Eagles.
John Milledge’s boys were fourth in Class AAA and the girls ninth, one spot behind Trinity Christian.
JMA’s Emery Ryan had the top individual finish among Central Georgians, taking fourth, a minute behind the winner.
GISA
Top 20 finishers from Central Georgia (with winner in that respective group)
Class AAA Girls
1. Sovi Wellons, Heritage, 18:53.91
4. Emery Ryan, John Milledge, 19:53.25
5. Janie Samson, Trinity Christian, 20:08.96
Teams
1. Augusta Prep, 65; 8. Trinity Christian, 189; 9. John Milledge, 202
Class AAA Boys
1. Porter Hill, Deerfield-Windsor, 16:21.23
12. Parker Blenk, John MIlledge, 18:07.66
17. Marcus Prestwood, 18:33.39
Teams
1. Augusta Prep, 31; 4. John Milledge, 148; 9. Trinity Christian, 215
Class AA Girls
1. Anna Bartlett, Oak Mountain, 20:17.92
5. Lauren Hood, Brentwood, 21:43.44
6. Anne Marie Sheppard, Brentwood, 22:59.34
12. Ellie Atkinson, Brentwood, 23:46, 99
13. Emma Boyen, Brentwood, 23:47.77
15.Emerson Sheppard, Brentwood, 24:01.71
18. Jordan Hancock, Brentwood, 24:44.97
Teams
1. Brentwood, 43
Class AA Boys
1. Larry Orsini, The Cottage School, 16:47.21
17. Hagan Boyen, Brentwood, 19:13.62
Teams
1. Monsignor Donovan, 27; 5. Brentwood, 160; 9. Twiggs Academy, 259
And the girls from the Academy of Classical Education put six runners in the top 50 to win the Class A Public championship.
Bleckley County’s Tristen Crosby finished second and Austin Perez third, 15 seconds separating the teammates. Emily Youngblood was 11th, Brianna Giberson 20th, Christa Hall 21st, and Kayla Kerce 25th.
Monticello’s Mari Jablonski’s fourth-place finish gave Central Georgia three of the top four spots.
Katelyn Taylor’s seventh-place finish led the Gryphon girls, improving her time by 49 seconds and two spots from last year, when she helped ACE to a second-place finish. ACE also had six in the top 50 a year ago.
GMC finished third, with four top-50 finishers. GMC’s boys finished seventh.
Four Bleckley County boys finished in the top 40 to make for a tight team race in Class AA, the Royals taking third place with 102 points, seven points behind Oglethorpe County and three behind Union County.
Bleckley County’s Garrett Rogers lost in Class AA boys in a photo finish to Griffin Stephens of Banks County, 16:44.15 to 16:44.21.
Stratford’s girls were eighth in Class A Private.
Top 50 finishers from Central Georgia (with winner in that respective group) Full results are here.
Class 3A Boys
Teams
1. Westminster, 74; 29. Peach County, 917
Class AA Girls
1. Zoe Sanchez, Union County, 20:06.82
2. Tristen Crosby, Bleckley County, 20:34.20
3. Austin Perez, Bleckley County, 20:49.18
4. Mari Jablonski, Monticello, 21:26.35
11. Emily Youngblood, Bleckley County, 22:08.83
20.Brianna Giberson, Bleckley County, 23:05.59
21. Christa Hall, Bleckley County, 23:07.12
25. Kayla Kerce, Bleckley County, 23:19.13
26. Kennedee Williams, East Laurens, 23:22.68
27. Juliet Cairney, Bleckley County, 23:25.67
Teams
1. Bleckley County, 49; 16. Lamar County, 500; 24. Washington County, 680; 27. Southwest, 736;
Class AA Boys
1. Griffin Stephens, Banks County, 16:44.15
2. Garrett Rogers, Bleckley County, 16:44.21
3. Luke Churchwell, Bleckley County, 17:24.68
13. Demario Thomas, Monticello, 18:10.50
27. Elijah Smetzer, Bleckley County, 18:48.49
34. Allan Muise, Lamar County, 18:55.37
38. Will Smith, Bleckley County, 19:03.04
40. Kson Jones, Bleckley County, 19:04.93
Teams
1. Oglethorpe County, 95; 2. Union County 99; 3. Bleckley County,102; 13. Lamar County, 389; 19. East Laurens, 520; 21. Washington County, 597; 23 Monticello, 610; 30. Northeast, 900
Class A Public Girls
1. Gracie O’Neal, Gordon Lee, 20:14.99
7. Katelyn Taylor, ACE, 23:18.12
8. Jada Warren, GMC, 23:24.90
14. Haley Whitehead, ACE, 24:23.28
15. Ann Elizabeth Howard, ACE, 24:27.50
16. Mattison Strom, GMC, 24:30.56
18. Kamryn Willis, GMC, 24:33.01
25. Olive Lowrimore, ACE, 25:26.95
31. Mishka Sobti, GMC, 26:12.68
33. Antonia Kopp, ACE, 26:16.10
43. Kady Sewell, Hawkinsville, 27:18.66
44. Emma Castro-Poveda, ACE, 27:23.98
Teams
1. ACE, 70; 3. GMC, 114; 11. Hawkinsville, 278
Class A Public Boys
1. Brandon Martin, Commerce, 17:02.85
24. Ethan Tolentino, GMC, 19:54.12
35. Bryce Murkerson, Hawkinsville, 20:16.06
36. Colin McCabe, GMC, 20:16.61
Teams
1. Commerce, 38; 7. GMC, 221; 12. Hawkinsville, 316
Class A Private Girls
1. Erin Fegans, Landmark Christian, 19:11.83
23. Annie Putzke, Stratford, 21:42.70
48. Dylan Driver, Stratford, 23:00.00
Teams
1. Holy Innocents, 66; 8. Stratford, 233; 16. FPD, 397
Class A Private Boys
1. Graham Blanks, Athens Academy, 15:33.32
15. Gunn Bush, Stratford, 17:52.61
19. Seth Brahney, Mount de Sales, 17:56.47
Teams
1. Wesleyan, 69; 11. Stratford, 274; 13. FPD, 341