The boys led off the day in the 5A State Championships and equaled their performance of last year by finishing 21st, despite battling some illnesses and injuries leading into state. The Wildcats were led by Blake Tiede who finished 80th, and some great races were also turned in by Jerett Lupoli and Jason Hughes. Great job Wildcats and we look forward to great things to come in future years, and thanks to our seniors for leading us this year. Full race results for the boys can be found here.
It was then the girls turn to toe the line, and attempt to answer questions of being "too rested" in preparation for the 5A State Championship. The girls answered all doubters by going out fast and having a pack of six in the top 15 during the first mile of the race! Feisty challenger Starrs Mill battled back in the second half of the race to provide a challenge to the Wildcats, but ultimately it was not enough to overtake Dunwoody, and the girls successfully earned their second State Championship in three years, besting Starrs Mill 77 to 95. The Wildcats were led by Kelly May Sheehan, who earned individual honors for her 5th place finish. She was followed closely behind by Ansley Heavern, Samantha Cameron, and Ann-Marie Sills (the difference maker, in the coaches' opinion). No team is complete without their fifth person, and senior Ellie Conoley finished 30th to seal up the Wildcats victory, followed by Ally Womble and Shanel Stewart. Full results for the girls can be found here.
The Wildcats State Championship is their second in school history (2012) and only the fifth ever for a girls team from DeKalb County. There are countless other amazing stats that the girls have racked up, but that all takes a back seat to the girls effort on Saturday. The girls ran their best race of the season when it mattered most, and that is a tremendously rewarding experience for them and the coaching staff. Thanks to all of the parents, team members, and Dunwoody fans that braved the early morning, long drive, and cold temperatures to witness history on Saturday morning. Also, the alternates on the State Team (Chloe Thomas, Julie Hensley, Elayna Harris, Callie Dill, Lauren Caplan, and Emily Cyr) should be applauded for their great support of our seven runners yesterday.
While the season may now be officially over, Dunwoody XC never really stops! Here are a few notes on upcoming events:
1. Our end of season banquet is Wednesday, November 19th at 6:30 PM in the DHS Auditorium. We will start the evening with awards and our anticipated slideshow, and then head to the auditorium lobby for some dessert treats! There is no cost or need to sign up for the banquet, and we hope to see all members of the team and family members as we celebrate all of our runners! The night is sure to be filled with laughs, tears, and memories…hope to see you there!
2. One of the honors that we will recognize at the banquet is our Varsity Letter winners for the 2014 season. A list of those athletes who will be receiving this honor will be posted outside each of the coaches' classrooms by the middle of this week. If an athlete has a question about their Varsity Letter status, they should scheduled a conference with the coaching staff BEFORE the banquet! It is the athletes responsibility to check their status prior to the banquet. We want to make sure we recognize all those who are deserving of this honor at the banquet, so we will not meet with athletes after the banquet. Please make sure you review the Varsity Letter Requirements on the website prior to scheduling your meeting.
3. Girls State Team members - we will have a brief meeting at some point this week to go over honors and accolades planned to celebrate your State Championship. Please see Coach Boucher on Monday for more details.
Thanks to all for your support during this great season. We as a coaching staff are honored to work with such great kids and hope we are a great representation of Dunwoody High School. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the banquet!
Go Wildcats!
Coach Boucher