Bleckley County sweeps, Wesleyan girls continue streak, Milton boys, Pope girls top podium at GHSA Cross Country Championships in Carrollton

Bleckley Countys Ella Gibbs won the Class A Division I individual championship, narrowly edging teammate Lily Farrell to lead the program to its seventh girls team championship with a 29-point total, besting second placed Fannin County (102 points) and Jeff Davis (110 points).

Bleckley won four-straight championships from 2016-2019 and has won the past two seasons in Class A Division I. Gibbs finished in 18:52.51 while Farrell cross the line milliseconds later with a time of 18:52.62.

Caleb Darsey led Bleckley with an individual championship on the boys side, finishing with a time of 16:56.65. It marked the third championship for the boys and first since back-to-back titles in 2015-16.

In Class 5A competition, Miltons boys won the teams second title and first since 2017 with 61 points, besting second place Clarke Central (119 points) and Pope (164 points). Creekview runner Malachi Burnett won the Class 6A individual championship.Josie Hutchinson led Popes girls to the programs seventh title with an individual championship after finishing in 19:15.40 to beat teammate Aislynn Dunn (19:24.81) and Romes Elise Wooddell (19.34.39). Pope finished with 29 points to beat McIntosh (152 points) and Decatur (155 points).

Lovetts boys scored 58 points to win the teams 12th championship and beat out Whitefield Academy (66 points) and Wesleyan (116 points). The Lions were dominant throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, winning nine championships from 1982-1992 to go with a title in 2004 and 2020. Mount Vernons Haris Flynn won the Private individual championship with a 16:33.35 finishing time to beat Lovetts Hall Wildman (16:40.32) and Whitefields Riley Hughes (16:42.60).

On the girls side, Wesleyan won its 10th title and fifth consecutive championship with a 46-point performance to beat Lovett (76 points) and Athens Academy (117 points). Athens Academy runner Maya Davis won the individual championship with a 19:26.51 finishing time to beat Wesleyans Weezie Moore (20:14.86) and Lovetts Mary Parrish Green (20:18.64).

Class 5A

Team Results

Boys 1. Milton, 61 points; 2. Clarke Central, 119 points; 3. Pope, 164 points

Girls -- 1. Pope, 29 points; 2. McIntosh, 152 points; 3. Decatur, 155 points

Individual Results

Boys 1. Malachi Burnett, Creekview, 15:50.11; 2. Jackson Hunter, Glynn Academy, 16:16.76; 3. Alex Loffredio, Dunwoody, 16:24.80

Girls 1. Josie Hutchinson, Pope, 19:15.40; 2. Aislynn Dunn, Pope, 19:24.81; 3. Elise Wooddell, Rome, 19:34.39

Class A Division I

Team Results

Boys 1. Bleckley County, 40 points; 2. Armuchee, 90 points; 3. Bremen, 123 points

Girls 1. Bleckley County, 29 points; 2. Fannin County, 102 points; 3. Jeff Davis, 110 points

Individual Results

Boys 1. Caleb Darsey, Bleckley County, 16:56.65; 2. Rush Hatcher, Worth County, 17:10.66; 3. Ben Owens, Armuchee, 17:17.13

Girls 1. Ella Gibbs, Bleckley County, 18:52.51; 2. Lily Farrell, Bleckley County, 18:52.62; 3. Lindsey Holloway, Fannin County, 19:56.40

Class Private

Team Results

Boys 1. Lovett, 58 points, 2. Whitefield Academy, 66 points, 3. Wesleyan, 116 points

Girls 1. Wesleyan, 46 points; 2. Lovett, 76 points; 3. Athens Academy, 117 points

Individual Results

Boys 1. Haris Flynn, Mount Vernon, 16:33.35; 2. Hall Wildman, Lovett, 16:40.32; 3. Riley Hugues, Whitefield Academy, 16:42.60

Girls 1. Maya Davis, Athens Academy, 19:26.51; 2. Weezie Moore, Wesleyan, 20:14.86; 3. Mary Parrish Green, Lovett, 20:18.64