Bleckley County’s girls and GMC’s boys will try to make it three straight when the GHSA state cross country meet starts this weekend.

          The Royals girls have won two straight titles, becoming the first Central Georgia state champs since cross country’s first year in the GHSA in 1975.

          Bleckley County’s boys won the title in 2015 and 2016, and finished third last year.

          GMC’s boys have won four of the last six Class A public titles. The Bulldogs’ win in 2012 was the first boys title in Central Georgia since Southwest won in 1961 when there was only one classification for cross country.

          The state meets are Friday and Saturday at Carrollton. On Friday: 9 a.m. - 6A Boys; 9:45 a.m. - 6A Girls; 10:30 a.m. - 5A Boys; 11:15 a.m. - 5A Girls; 12 p.m. - 1A Private Boys; 12:45 p.m. - 1A Private Girls.

          On Saturday: 8 a.m. - 7A Boys; 8:45 a.m. - 7A Girls; 9:30 a.m. - 2A Boys; 10:15 a.m. - 2A Girls; 11 a.m. - 3A Boys; 11:45 a.m. - 3A Girls; 12:30 a.m. - 4A Boys; 1:15 p.m. - 4A Girls; 2 p.m. - 1A Public Boys; 2:45 p.m. - 1A Public Girls.

          Jones County’s Erin Leonard is the defending girls 5A champ, finishing five spots up on Veterans’ Mackenzie Walls with teammate Laney Doster 14th.

          Mary Persons’ Justin Wachtel finished third in 4A boys last year, with West Laurens’ Paul Kellam 10th.

          Bleckley County’s Austin Perez is the defending girls AA champ, with teammate Macy Moe finishing second and Christa Hall 13th. Mari Jablonski of Monticello was ninth in girls AA.

          Bleckley County’s Jaylen Thigpen was ninth in boys 2A.

          ACE’s Katelyn Taylor finished fourth in A Public girls, while Sloan Grinstead of Hawkinsville was 11th.

          Bryce Murkerson of Hawkinsville took ninth last year in A Public boys, while GMC’s Ethan Yopp and Taylor Sherwood finished 12th and 13th.

 

QUALIFIERS

          Qualifying teams and their area finish from Central Georgia, followed by individuals and their top-6 finish in area meets:

          1 6A girls: 1. Houston County; 1. Ande Chalout, Houston County; 4. Caitlyn Cherry, Houston County; 5. Victoria Teague, Houston County

          1-6A boys: 2. Houston County, 2; Northside, 4; 3. Tim Feezor, Houston County; 4. Joseph Everett, Northside

          4-5A girls: 2. Jones County; 2. Laney Doster, Jones County; 3. Erin Leonard, Jones County

          1-5A girls: 1. Veterans; 1. Mackenzie Walls, Veterans; 5. Ansley Miranda, Veterans

          1-5A boys: 1. Veterans; 4. Warner Robins; (all Veterans) 2. Griffin Hodges; 3. Rio Espinoza; 4. Daniel Shephard; 5. Andrew Bos; 6. Abram Spradling

          3-4A girls: 2. Baldwin; 5. Ashley Johnson, Baldwin

          3-4A boys: 2. Baldwin; (all Baldwin) 2. DeMarcus Reeves; 4. Labronze Boyd; 6. James Kilgore

          2-4A girls: 1. Mary Persons; 2. Perry; 3. West Laurens; 4. Upson-Lee; 1. Jordan Rozier, Howard; 2. Alyssa Mountin, Perry; 3. Ava McKallip, Mary Persons; 4. Maradeth Leverette, Mary Persons; 5. Caroline Hampton, Mary Persons; 6. Abbie Westra, Perry

          2-4A boys: 1. Mary Persons; 2. West Laurens; 4. Perry; 1. Justin Wachtel, Mary Persons; 2. Paul Kellam, West Laurens; 3. Logan O’Neill, Mary Persons; 6. James Brittain, West Laurens

          x-3A girls: 2. Central; 3. Peach County; 3. Keera Belton, Peach County; 5. Lydia Story, Peach County

          x-3A boys: 2. Peach County; 4. Westside; 1. Roman Galan, Peach County; 3. Brandon Lowe, Peach County; 4. Brannon Lopez, Peach County; 6. Sparrow Jenkins, Westside

          3-AA girls: 1. Bleckley County; 2. Washington County; 3. East Laurens; 4. Southwest; (all Bleckley County) 1. Emily Youngblood; 2. Austin Perez; 3. Christa Hall; 4. Macy Moe; 5. Juliet Cairney; 6. Juliette Stevens

          3-AA boys: 1. Bleckley County; 2. Washington County; 3. Dodge County; 4. East Laurens; (first 5 Bleckley County) 1. Jaylen Thigpen; 2. Austin Hiner; 3. Jacob Johnson; 4. Kson Jones; 5. Adam Belflower; 6. Hunter Lindsey, Washington County

          5-AA girls: 2. Lamar County; 6. Tomiyah Alford, Lamar County

          5-AA boys: 2. Lamar County; 4. Jimmy Benefield, Lamar County; 5. Hunter Banks

          8-AA girls: 3. Mari Jablonski, Monticello

          8-AA boys: 4. Putnam County

          1-A Private girls: 1. Stratford; 1. Dylan Driver, Stratford; 2. Jenny Belle Butler, Stratford

          1-A Private boys: 3. FPD; 3. Seth Brahney, Mount de Sales

          1-A Public girls: 1. Hawkinsville; 2. Sloan Grinstead, Hawkinsville; 4. Cady Sewell, Hawkinsville

          1-A Public boys: 3. Hawkinsville; 1. Bryce Murkerson, Hawkinsville

          4-A Public girls: 1. ACE; 2. GMC; 1. Olivia Lowrimore, ACE; 3. Katelyn Taylor, ACE; 4.Mattison Strom, GMC; 5. Lyssa Blair, GMC; 6. Kameron Johnson, ACE

          4-A Public boys: 1. GMC; 3. Colin McCabe, GMC; 6. Logan Steinmeyer, GMC