GEORGIA STATE MEET

Tommy Latham Wins Third State Title to Close Off Georgia Prep Career; Marist Girls Win 16th Title 

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

While the Georgia High School Association cross country scene experienced some shake ups this fall with a new reclassification system implemented, familiar names and winning traditions, no matter the classification, still reigned supreme at the GHSA State Cross Country Championships held in Carrollton on Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday, Tommy Latham, one of the top distance runners in the country, finished off his in-state prep career in style, winning his third-straight Class 4A title in 15 minutes, 33.2 seconds. Latham, who is a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill commit, ran the fastest time of the day on the 5,000-meter course. Teammate Andrew Stricklin was second (16:09.0) as Marist finished in second place as a team. Cambridge won the 4A team title with 61 points.

Competing in a new classification didn’t make a difference for the Marist girls. Running in 4A (6A previously) Marist ran its way to a 16th state title in the past 17 years, placing four runners in the top 15 to score 72 points. Northview’s Regina Michel Camacho placed first in 19:13.4.

Lambert senior Jackson Hogsed put down the second-fastest time of the day for a male runner, clocking 15:42.7, winning the 6A state crown, his first individual state cross country title after placing second last year. In the team race, Denmark placed all five runners in the top 30 to claim the team title.

Mary Nesmith and the Marietta girls defended their state title, moving from 7A to 6A. Nesmith won the race in 18:33.9 to guide her team to a state championship.

The Oconee County boys repeated as state champs, winning the 3A title with 54 points as four runners finished in the top 13. Lumpkin County senior Wyatt Windham claimed the 3A title in 15:56.3.

Senior Clodagh O'Bryant led North Hall to a 3A title, winning in 20:07.90. Teammate Summer Muxlow, a freshman, was second in 20:09.63.

The East Jackson boys team won the 2A crown with 55 points, as four runners were in the top 17. Evan Osias of Laney won the race in 17:15.15.

It was a close run for the girls 2A title as Savannah Arts Academy just edged out Columbus, 34-37. Columbus freshman Olivia DiQuattro won the race in 19:41.92, the only runner under 20 minutes.

Senior Julian Council repeated as the boys Class 1A Division 2 champion (17:40.27) en route to leading Georgia Military Academy to a team title and dethroning reigning champ, Atlanta Classical Academy, 65-70. The team placed three runners in the top 6.

Bowdon sophomore Averi Lowen put on a clinic as she won her second consecutive title in 17:52.4, more than three minutes faster than the next runner. Her time was also less than three seconds from the record of 17:49.9. In the team race, Atlanta Classical Academy made it a three-peat with 36 points.

Friday - 5A, A-Division 1, Private (1A-3A)

In a race many thought might be closer, the Milton boys left nothing to chance, going 7-8 and placing four runners in the top 20 to finish with 61 points to easily win the 5A title, the first since 2017. Runner-up was Clarke Central with 119 points. Individually, Creekview’s Malachi Burnett, a junior, was the only runner to go under 16 minutes, m winning the race in 15:50.11.

Dominant all season, the Pope girls continued that on Friday scoring 29 points to win the 5A title. Pope was led by junior Jose Hutchinson’s first-place finish in 19:15.40, while teammate sophomore Aislynn Dun was second in 19:24.81. In total, Pope placed all five runners in the top 13.

The Bleckley County boys and girls swept the 1A Division 1 team and individual titles.

Senior Caleb Darsey won the 1A Division 1 boys race (16:56.6) to guide Bleckley County to a state title. The team captured the 7-8-9 places and all five finished in the top 17 to score 40 points.

The girls easily repeated as state champs with 29 points with junior Ella Gibbs winning in 18:52.5, while teammate Lily Farrell was less than a step behind in 18:52.6.

It was a close battle in the new class - 1A-3A Private - as the Lovett boys edged out Whitefield 58-66 for the state title. Lovett was paced by senior Hall Wildman’s runner-up finish in 16:40.3, as the team had three in the top 10. Mount Vernon junior Haris Flynn won the race in 16:33.3.

The Wesleyan School girls claimed the 1A-3A private crown with four runners in the top 10 - a fifth consecutive championship for the Wolves. Maya Davis of Athens Academy was the only runner under 20 minutes, winning the race in 19:26.5.

TEAM CHAMPIONS

6A: Denmark boys 100 points; Marist girls 49 points

5A: Milton boys 61 points; Pope girls 29 points

4A: Cambridge boys 61 points; Marist girls 72 points

3A: Oconee County boys 54 points; North Hall girls 34 points

2A: East Jackson boys 55 points; Savannah Arts Academy girls 34 points

1A Division 1: Bleckley County boys 40 points; Bleckley County girls 29 points

1A-3A Private: Lovett boys 58 points; Wesleyan School 46 points