GAINESVILLE — The latest edition of the Hall County cross country meet will have a least one new element in the 2019 event.
And it could be the telling difference.
For the first time ever the meet will be held at the new North Hall Community Center-course off Highway 129 in northern Hall County on Thursday. The meet is set to begin with the girls' race at 5 p.m. The boys race will follow.
The North Hall boys won the 2018 event with Gainesville second and Chestatee third. The North Hall girls also took the 2018 title with Flowery Branch second and Gainesville third.
The rotating meet was scheduled to be held at Flowery Branch this season but course issues developed precipitating the move. North Hall boys and girls coach Sam Borg said they have been waiting to unveil the area’s newest course in a big way.
The new North Hall Community Center course, which Borg called, "a beautiful course with a mix of spectator friendly meadow loops and adventurous woods trail loops," officially debuted on Sept. 5 when North Hall held the North Hall Invite. But this will be its first major event.
“We recently debuted it (Sept. 5) and not many of us have run it,” Borg said. “This is the first big meet. That is the really cool thing about the meet this year I think. It should be interesting.”
“It’s a course we haven't run on but other schools in the meet have so we just have to run smart,” said Cherokee Bluff coach Matthew Brick, whose favored girls team is ranked sixth in Class 3A.
Borg’s boys team, ranked seventh in Class 3A and led by junior Andrew Jones, is the favorite coming into the meet. Jones, who recently posted a stellar 15.25 time at the big Wingfoot meet in Cartersville, is among the state’s best right now. The Trojans' Bryce Hartis, along with Chestatee's Luke Gaddis, Steve Faubert of Flowery Branch, and Kyle Boyd of Cherokee Bluff also are considered the top contenders for the individual title.
“Andrew ran great at the Wingfoot meet and finished fourth overall in an all-classification meet,” Borg said. “I feel we have a pretty strong boys team that has a great chance to win it. But I think it’s going to be very competitive.”
Meanwhile, the Cherokee Bluff girls, led by Sierra Wainer, are the favorite on the girls' side in just their second year of competition. North Hall's Caylee Wagner, who also had a solid day at the Wingfoot meet, teammate Elissa Oliver, Bella Brick of Flowery Branch, and Bluff's Adison Myers also are among the top contenders.
Brick said depth will play a huge factor.
“Sierra is coming off a great track season from last year and freshman Addison Myers has had a great season so far,” Brick said. “Addison is the third-fastest freshman in Class 3A. We hope to have three girls crack the top 10 and that should pull our fourth and fifth runners. We’re hoping to open some eyes in our second year.”
Flowery Branch coach Richard Ramsey said his groups are once again looking for high finishes. The Falcons are led by Steve Faubert on the boys' side and Bella Brick on the girls, and both have had consistent 2019 campaigns, Ramsey said.
“We’re probably shooting for the top three, hopefully,” Ramsey said. “The Chestatee boys, North Hall boys and girls, Cherokee Bluff boys and girls, all have been running super well this year. It should be lots of fun.
“Recently our teams have started to click and packed really well this past weekend at Winder. We’re hoping to continue that as we wrap up our season and focus on region.”
Borg, along with the rest of the coaches, is expecting a usual tight finish.
"This should be two pretty good races. I'm looking forward to it," Borg said.
