Stephanie Ward

Check out the top 500 boys and girls historic performances from the OrthoWest Invitational

Check out the Georgia all time indoor track and field rankings

Check out the top historic performances from the Asics Invitational this weekend

Check out the top historic performances from the various big out of state courses

Check out the top historic performances from the OrthoWest Invitational in Carrollton

Lovett ran away with the AA Girls State title led by Overall Champ Serena Tripodi and Haley Hooper. After this race, the course was re-routed..

AA gets to run after 1pm, which could be perilous for less experienced runners on a chopped up course. Lovett is a lock to win the team title unless their bus breaks down.

Here are the Georgia HS Girls 'Runners of the Week' by Classification for week ending 9/20.

The Berry Invitational had 53 teams tackle the Clara Bowl course Saturday as the Mill Creek Girls won easily while Peachtree Ridge's Boys nipped 3A Blessed Trinity by 2 points.

We'll be seeing many of the best AA Girls from 2014 once again as 17 of the top 24 finishers from the State meet are slated to return and lace it up. Serena Triodi is clearly a favorite to defend her 2014 XC title after dominating the AA race in Carrollton winning by over a minute and easily sweeping the 1600/3200 races in Albany last Spring. There's a big gap after Tripodi sure to be chasing including Sr Stephanie Ward of Darlington, Lovett's Mara Davis and Elizabeth Beveridge,. After this group its very tight. Will a few frosh make a splash in this class this Fall?

Serena Tripodi of Lovett was not going going to be satisfied with anything less than a sub 5:00 and she joined that prestigous elusive Club Friday evening, going 4:59.96 helping Lovett to a huge lead going into Finals.

Mother Nature gave Old Man Winter a nudge Saturday, letting him know his days are numbered. The opening meet of the 2015 season at Landmark Christian was hugely popular, with the maximum number of schools participating. Although a steady headwind down the finishing straightaway made conditions challenging, this did not deter very enthusiastic competition.

  The 2A Girls race favored Lovett as the Lions had dispatched any AA competition during the season and were looking for their first title in years. It doesn't hurt having the best harrier in AA leading the way in Serena Tripodi.  Wesleyan figured to be a comtender having a strong program and being defending Champ. Pace Academy won the 1A Private title last Fall but lost some core runners. Darlington returned a strong experienced squad and Holy Innocents can't help but have some talent coming up from their State Championship MS program. St. Vincent's (Benedictine Military's sister school) runs well at Carrollton and woukd their be a surprise from a Mid GA squad?    

AA has been the weaker class overall for Cross Country many years now, although having championship quality programs on the top end.  But AA got a bit of a makeover this season with A powers Darlington, Holy Innocents and Pace moving up in the latest alignments  (despite the departure of Westminster) But Lovett has come into their own this Fall even after losing their #1 to graduation and could sweep the Individual and Team titles. Pictured above is Serena Tripodi at Last Chance dueling with Jenna Gearing (4A)

Week 8 produced the fastest 'average time' of all the Girls 'ROW' selections. Freshman Kaylee Dupont from South Forsyth seems to improve weekly and her 2nd place finish at Fox Hall Sporting Club course at 17:38 earned her the All-Class 'Runner of the Week' honors. As an fyi, our rankers try to recognize a different ROW for each Class weekly.   

It would be incredibly difficult not to choose Northview's Lindsay Billings as Week 6 All-Classes 'Runner of the Week' after her spectacular 16:56 in the whatever distance it was at Lambert River Run. It's a shame that Week 6 1A Private 'ROW' Emma Grace Hurley from Fellowship Christian was in a different race at the same event (17:04) Just think what could have been had they been pushing each other same race....WOW!  WOW! WOW!

The morning was ideal for some fast racing at the Darlington school with temperatures in the low 70’s and skies overcast. Logan Poteet remained untouchable. Marietta's Boys were dominant and aggressive, blowing away the field. Darlington's Girls spanked the competition, including defending 2A champ Wesleyan. Mary Jeanne Assinzo of Marietta won the Girls Overall title. 

Its much more clear who the top returning 2A Girls are because their pr's correlated to their State meet performances more so than the Boys.  2 time defending champ jr Emma Garrison returns to defend her titles and is an overwhelming favorite to repeat after dominating everyone in XC. 

  Helen Williams of AIS is becoming a real star on Georgia HS distance scene as she swept the 1600/3200 races with amazing times of 5:00 and 10:40 defeating some stern competition along the way.  

There will be no prelims for Class A, which means just Finals...1 shot and done and their journey to a state title begins Thursday evening with the 3200 Meter finals. There are at least 6 teams with an opportunity to either win the title or make the Podium club. Eagles Landing Christian (ELCA), Landmark, ACS, Pace, OLM and Holy Innocents.  Every point will matter, every step, every toss and leap. 

Kathryn Foreman was unflappable, followed her usual strategy going all out taking an early lead over Taylor Tuttle, picked it up in the 2nd Mile creating a cushion that was too large to gap winning her 2nd consecutive 1A Private individual title clocking the Girls 'Performance of the Day' in 18:42. Those crafty Pace Academy gals ran steady as they had all-season bouncing top ranked Darlington seizing the team title.