Published: October 31, 2009 12:57 am      

Area teams to face a stiff test

In the 15-team Region 7-4A, cross country coaches lament the degree of difficulty in trying to qualify today for the state meet on Nov. 7 in Carrollton.

“With this huge region,” Dalton coach Karen Galyon said, “there are probably five or six teams in both boys and girls fighting it out for the top four (team) spots. The top teams on both sides are equally good and it’s very hard to be in this region.”

The 7-4A meet will be held at 10 a.m. today at Taylor Farms Park in Powder Springs. The top four teams and six individuals earn spots in the state meet.

“It’s going to be a dogfight,” Northwest Whit-field coach Tom Sell said. “We have probably the toughest region in the state. It’s always very difficult to qualify.

“As an example, Sequoyah finished second at a very good meet in Carrollton and a weak later finished fifth in our region and failed to make it to state. It would take a Hurculean effort for either our boys or girls to qualify.”

Murray County coach Sam Young sees it the same way.

“We’re a young team because we graduated some of our best runners and some are with the football team,” Young said. “My guys are competitive but the level of competition we’ll see in Powder Springs is going to be very good.”

Area coaches generally agree that defending region champion Hill-grove, Allatoona, Sequo-yah, Woodland-Bartow and Dalton are the strongest boys teams. On the girls’ side, coaches say the team champion will likely come from Woodland-Bartow, Rome, Allatoona, Hillgrove and Dalton.

“I think we have a very good chance,” Galyon said, “but there is certainly nothing guaranteed. I believe the boys and girls team competition will go right down to the wire.”

Andrew Bruner, Chris-tian Paneda, Fernando Morales and Preston Pounds are the Cata-mounts’ top runners. The Lady Cats are led by Karina Nieto, Bekah Houston and Meral Henton, all of whom run in the 21-second range. Paxton Plunkett and Kata-rina Yi are around 22, Galyon said.

Josh Stanley is Murray County’s top threat, but he’s been battling to recover from an illness. Young said Stanley missed 2 1/2 weeks of action “right in the heart of the season” and it’s hard “to lose that much time and be where you need to be.”

The Lady Indians’ Melissa Ortiz, who qualified for state in 2008, is “running as good as she ever has,” Young said.

“In some meets, she’s run better,” Young said. “Kellie Newport and Krista Wells, both sophomores, are close to having breakthrough performances.”

Jordan Jones has been the top finisher for the Bruins all season long, Sells said. Brody Cook and Jordan Smith are the other threats.

For the girls, Shelby Wilson, Jenna Williams and Natalie Williams have been “running pretty good,” the coach said. “And Kayla Griffin has been pretty strong.”

Sell said this is a rebuilding year and added, “We’re a year away from being competitive in this region.”