Northview won the 2014 AAAAAA state title with an average time of 20:05.50. Their 102 points beat out second place finisher South Forsyth who posted a score of 114. The Titans and the War Eagles start the 2015 season ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. Northview returns their top five runners in Lindsey Billings, Anna Barefield, Sarika Temme-Bapat, Tiffany Yue, and Shannon Marsha. Billings won the individual state meet a season ago by an impressive 27 seconds, and is looking to do it again in her senior season. The team started their season last weekend placing second at the Pickens Preview in Jasper, Georgia. Billings looked in mid-season form by winning the girls meet.
In Class AAAAA, the defending state champion Dunwoody Wildcats sit atop the poll to begin the season. This was their second title in the last three years. Returning for the Wildcats are their top four and five of their top six runners, including Kelly May Sheehan, Ansley Heavern, Samantha Cameron, Ann-Marie Sills, and Alexandra Womble. Sheehan finished fifth individually at the state meet in 2014. They begin their season this weekend at the Battle of Atlanta in Hampton, Georgia. Last year’s runner-up Starr’s Mill starts the season ranked No. 2. Junior Alyssa Hooker from Lakeside-Evans will look to defend her individual state championship this season.
Marist won their seventh state title in a row posting a 97-point victory at the 2014 state meet. This was their 16th championship overall. The War Eagles begin the season ranked No. 1 in the Class AAAA poll. The team starts the 2015 campaign having lost five of their top seven runners, including two-time defending state champion Morgan Ilse. But, the team does bring back Josie Wirtz and Kendall Nelson who placed second and seventh respectively in last year’s state meet.
Another familiar school raised the championship trophy in 2014. Westminster won their 27th state title and 19th in the last 23 years. They begin the season at No. 1 in Class AAA. Their top seven runners a season ago all finished in the top 17 at the state meet, and every single one of them returns for the 2015 season. The squad is highlight by Delaney Graham who finished third in the state last year and also includes Margaret Maxwell, Gabby Bunnell, Carson Simon, Lexi Elliott, Annie Bernot, and Maddie Turner. Blessed Trinity finished runner-up to the Wildcats last season and start this year at No. 2. Junior Audrey Honiotes of Hart County, ranked No. 3, will look to defend her individual state title.
Lovett starts the season ranked No. 1 in Class AA, and will look to defend their state title in 2015. The Lions return defending state champion Serena Tripodi, who is only a junior. In addition, four of their other top seven runners from last year will be back including Elizabeth Beveridge, Emma Sidman, Carolyn Bland, and Wendy Harrison. Lovett opened their season last weekend in Atlanta by winning the Kosh Klassic. Tripodi started right where she left off from last year by winning the meet by 36 seconds over the second-place-finisher and fellow-Lion Haley Hooper.
Class A holds the only two schools that start the 2015 season ranked No. 1 in both the boys and girls poll. Defending Class A-Private champions Landmark Christian began their title quest last weekend at the Sandy Creek XC Kickoff in Tyrone, Georgia. They finished second in the meet and also finished with the top three individual times from their three best runners, including Kathryn Foreman (first), Nicole Fegans (second), and Sarah Foreman (third). Fegans looks to build on last year’s second place finish at the state meet. Along with these three returners, the team also brings back the rest of their top six runners from last year, including Mary-Kellison Thorne, Lindsey Biggar, and Taylor Biggar. Senior Emma Grace Hurley from Fellowship Christian will be back to defend her individual state title.
The other school featured atop the poll in both the boys and girls rankings is Towns County. Individual state champion Hannah Whitehead led the defending Class A-Public state champions last year. Not only is Whitehead returning, but the Indians also bring back every single one of their top seven runners. Tara Lee Arrowood, Alana Calhoun, Madison Stroud, Emma Kate Ledford, Lydia Moss, and Hayley Stower all finished in the top 28 at the state meet along with Whitehead.
Class AAAAAA
1. Northview
2. South Forsyth
3. Milton
4. West Forsyth
5. Harrison
6. Mill Creek
7. Collins Hill
8. North Gwinnett
9. Marietta
10. Brookwood
Class AAAAA
1. Dunwoody
2. Starr’s Mill
3. Creekview
4. Northgate
5. Columbus
6. Cambridge
7. McIntosh
8. Flowery Branch
9. Richmond Hill
10. Lakeside-Evans
Class AAAA
1. Marist
2. St. Pius X
3. Heritage-Catoosa
4. Woodward Academy
5. North Oconee
6. White County
7. Buford
8. Whitewater
9. Johnson
10. Chestatee
Class AAA
1. Westminster
2. Blessed Trinity
3. Hart County
4. Dawson County
5. Savannah Arts
6. Coahulla Creek
7. Morgan County
8. East Jackson
9. Decatur
10. Jefferson
Class AA
1. Lovett
2. Darlington
3. Wesleyan
4. Holy Innocents’
5. Pace Academy
6. St. Vincent’s Academy
7. Bleckley County
8. Bremen
9. Model
10. Lamar County
Class A-Private
1. Landmark Christian
2. Hebron Christian Academy
3. Providence Christian
4. Athens Academy
5. Galloway
6. Paideia
7. Mount De Sales
8. Walker
9. Athens Christian
10. Savannah Christian
Class A-Public
1. Towns County
2. Commerce
3. Trion
4. Marion County
5. Claxton
6. Jenkins County
7. Atkinson County
8. Hawkinsville
9. Johnson County
10. Baconton Charter
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