ATLANTA – September 22, 2016 – Atlanta Track Club selected 20 girls teams to compete in the Championship Varsity Division (
see team selections here). The Wingfoot XC Classic will see seven out of the top 10 Georgia All-Class ranked schools compete. Also this year, the #2 nationally ranked Saratoga Springs High School will be making the trip from New York to Georgia to race against Georgia’s best. Four out of the five top runners from 2015 Champion Northview High School have graduated, opening the door for a new team champion in 2016. A large group of teams hope to defeat Saratoga Springs in order to keep the trophy here in Georgia:
Brookwood High SchoolHoping to end up in the top five is the 2016 Gwinnett County Champion Brookwood team led by senior Lauren Flynt. Their strong fourth place finish at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic and dominating performance at Gwinnett County, in which they placed four runners in the top 15, shows their strength and speed against a stacked field.
Landmark Christian SchoolCurrently ranked fifth All-Class in the state, the Lady War Eagles are led by Sarah Foreman, Nicole Fegans and Erin Fegans. After taking a week off from racing and skipping the Fulton County Championships, these girls come into the Wingfoot XC Classic fresh and capable of threatening to secure the number one spot unless any of the top five should falter.
Landmark Christian Girls TeamMilton High SchoolThird place finishers at last year’s Wingfoot and fourth place finishers at the 2015 State Championships, Milton shows its incredible depth after graduating top runner Riley Burr. Milton is currently ranked #1 All-Class after victories at Marist Double Dip and Fulton County. They are led by senior Marie Repasy with a tight pack of four close behind, giving the Milton Eagles a strong position to take a top three spot.
Saratoga Springs High SchoolSaratoga Springs finished in fourth place at the 2015 Nike Cross Nationals and is currently ranked #2 in the nation. These ladies are fresh off a victory in Virginia at the Great Meadow Invitational led by sophomore Kelsey Chmiel’s season best time of 17:36. Behind Chmiel is a tight pack of four, all under 20:00. Saratoga Springs comes in as the favorite for this race.
South Forsyth High School2015 Wingfoot XC Classic Runner-Up and 6A State Runner-Up South Forsyth is hungry to win the championship title. Even after graduating stars Savannah Carnahan and Emma Maisel, South Forsyth is currently ranked #3 All-Class in Georgia, but that should change after this weekend’s performance at Warpath Invitational. Junior Kaylee DuPont’s victory at the Warpath Invitational this weekend in 17:55 leads the Eagles, followed by Millicent Bergey and freshman Caroline Patterson. South Forsyth’s dominating performance this weekend is an indication they are ready to roll through Wingfoot and challenge Saratoga Springs for the title.Others to watch out for:West Forsyth, Creekview, Woodland, Alpharetta, Lovett, Marietta
Individual RaceLast year’s individual race came down to the last 50 meters, and 2016 could be very similar. Kelsey Chmiel of Saratoga Springs comes in with the fastest time this season, 17:36 at the Great Meadow Invitational. However, Chmiel must make it over the rolling hills in Cartersville. Looking to challenge for the top spot are Kaylee DuPont of South Forsyth, Sue Anne Morales of East Jackson and Serena Tripodi of Lovett. These runners are returning after strong performances last year on this course, sixth, eighth and third respectively. DuPont is Fresh off a 17:55 victory at the Warpath Invitational, defeating Liz Galarza (17:57) and Sue Anne Morales (18:14). Wild cards who could break into the top five include Battle of Atlanta and Panther Invite Champion Sophia West of Paideia, Nicole Fegans of Landmark, and 2015 Wingfoot 2 mile runner-up, freshman Nyah Hernandez of Creekview.
Kaylee DuPont, South ForsythWatchlistMarie Repasy (Milton), Sarah Foreman (Landmark Christian), Helen Williams (AIS), Lauren Flynt (Brookwood)The Wingfoot XC Classic takes place this Saturday, September 24 at Sam Smith Park in Cartersville.
About Atlanta Track ClubAtlanta Track Club is a nonprofit committed to creating an active and healthy Atlanta. Through running and walking, Atlanta Track Club motivates, inspires and engages the community to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. With more than 26,000 members, Atlanta Track Club is the second largest running organization in the United States. In addition to the AJC Peachtree Road Race (
peachtreeroadrace.org) – the largest 10K running event in the world, the Publix Georgia Marathon, PNC Atlanta 10 Miler and Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, Atlanta Track Club directs more than 30 events per year. Through the support of its members and volunteers, Atlanta Track Club also maintains a number of community initiatives including organizing and promoting the Kilometer Kids youth running program to metro Atlanta youth, honoring high school cross country and track and field athletes through Atlanta Track Club’s All-Metro Banquets and supporting the Grady Bicycle EMT program. For more information on Atlanta Track Club, visit
atlantatrackclub.org.
