GHSA State Cross Country Championship Preview

The high school cross country season will come to an end this weekend at the GHSA Cross Country State Championships, presented by Atlanta Track Club, at the Carrollton cross country course at Carrollton High School.

Because of the threat of weather, the GHSA made the decision that there will be no course preview or practice on Thursday or early Friday to preserve course conditions for the competition on Friday and Saturday.

In Class AAAAAAA, Walton enters the state meet as the top-ranked team, according to MileSplitGa. The Raiders placed first in Area 3 Region 4 with a 16:12 average time. South Forsyth, the defending champions, West Forsyth, Lambert and Marietta fill out the top-ranked teams in a very competitive region. For the girls, South Forsyth is at the top of the MileSplit rankings after placing first in its area with an average time of 19:06. Hillgrove, Marietta, West Forsyth and Milton are at the top of the class and Marietta enters the meet trying for its third-straight team championship.

Harrison is at the top of the boys Class AAAAAA rankings after placing first in the Region 6-AAAAAA championship with a 16:32 average. Pope, the defending champions, Cambridge, Alexander and Gainesville fill out the top five programs entering the meet. On the girls side, two-time defending champion Cambridge is the favorite. Allatoona, Harrison, Johns Creek and Pope are also programs to keep an eye on.

In Class AAAAA, Decatur is ranked No. 1 on the boys side and is in the hunt for its first state championship, but a stacked field is chasing the Bulldogs. Starrs Mill, the defending champions, Loganville, Grady and Rome are all formidable opponents. For the girls, McIntosh, the 2017 champions, are ranked at the top. Union Grove, Woodland-Cartersville, Starrs Mill and Riverwood will push the Chiefs.

For the AAAA boys, Denmark is ranked at the top of a class which has been ruled by either Marist or St. Pius X for the better part of the decade. St. Pius X, which has 10 state championships and seven since 2010, is ranked No. 2. Blessed Trinity, Oconee County and Chestatee round out the top-five programs. Marist, chasing its 13th title, is No. 7 entering the meet. On the girls side, Marist enters as the top-ranked program as it looks for its 21st championship and 12th consecutive state title. St. Pius X is the No. 2 team entering the meet ahead of Blessed Trinity, Oconee County and White County as the top 5.

In Class AAA, Westminsters boys enter the meet looking for the programs 27th state title and third-consecutive AAA crown. However, Pace Academy is the top-ranked program with Westminster at No. 2. Lovett, North Hall and Dawson County fill out the top of the class. For the girls, top-ranked Westminster is looking for its 32nd state championship and seventh-straight title including a tie with Wesleyan in Class AA in 2013. Lovett, Pace Academy, Jefferson and North Hall are serious contenders.

Banks County enters the Class AA state meet as the top-ranked boys team chasing its second title after a 2017 AA championship. Union County, the defending champions, are No. 2. Oglethorpe County, Bleckley County and Vidalia fill out the top five programs. For the girls, Bleckley County is chasing its fourth-straight AA crown and is at the top of the rankings. Oglethorpe County, Jeff Davis, Banks County and St. Vincents are chasing.

Wesleyan, the defending A-Private boys champions, enter the meet at the top of the poll and a victory this year would mark its 11th state championship. Holy Innocents, Landmark Christian, Athens Academy and Paideia are serious contenders. For the girls, Landmark is the team to beat and is chasing its 12th championship. Holy Innocents, Wesleyan, defending champion Atlanta International and Athens Academy fill out the top five programs

Schley County is the top-ranked boys team at Class A-Public. Commerce, Towns County, Lake Oconee County and Drew Charter are the next four ranked programs. Georgia Military, the three-time defending champion, is ranked No. 7 entering the race. For the girls, ACE Charter is at the top and looking for its first-ever title. Telfair County, the two-time defending champion, is ranked No. 2. Baconton Charter, Georgia Military and Commerce are chasing.

Past Boys Champions: South Forsyth (Class AAAAAAA), Pope (Class AAAAAA), Starrs Mill (Class AAAAA), St. Pius X (Class AAAA), Westminster (Class AAA), Union County (Class AA), Wesleyan (Class A-Private), Georgia Military (Class A-Public).

Past Girls Champions: Marietta (Class AAAAAAA), Cambridge (Class AAAAAA), Woodland-Cartersville (Class AAAAA), Marist (Class AAAA), Westminster (Class AAA), Bleckley County (Class AA), Atlanta International (Class A-Private), Telfair County (Class A-Public).

Live Results will be provided by Perfect Timing Group HERE

You can view the course map by clicking HERE

All rankings provided by MileSplitGA HERE

When: Friday and Saturday

Where: Carrollton Cross Country Course, Carrollton High School, 202 Trojan Drive, Carrollton, GA

GHSA Cross Country Championship Schedule

Friday, Nov. 1

9 a.m. AAAA Boys

9:45 a.m. AAAA Girls

10:30 a.m. AAAAAA Boys

11:15 a.m. AAAAAA Girls

Noon AAAAA Boys

12:45 p.m. AAAAA Girls

Saturday, Nov. 2

8 a.m. A-Private Boys

8:45 a.m. A-Private Girls

9:30 a.m. AAAAAAA Boys

10:15 a.m. AAAAAAA Girls

11 a.m. AA Boys

11:45 a.m. AA Girls

12:30 p.m. AAA Boys

1:15 p.m. AAA Girls

2 p.m. A-Public Boys

2:45 p.m. A-Public Girls