Eight runners selected to ATC All-Metro team
Nov. 11—Eight cross country runners from Cobb County have been named to the Atlanta Track Club's Powerade All-Metro Cross Country team.
The group includes five from Marietta High School, including four from the girls team — Nora Hart, Maddie Jones, Kristal McQueen and Mary Nesmith — who dominated the field at the recent Class AAAAAAA state cross country meet in Carrollton.
It also includes Harrison's Samantha McGarity, who won the Class AAAAAAA individual title by more than 40 seconds, Johnson Ferry Christian's Clara Heppner, and on the boys side, Marietta's Jared Fortenberry, Whitefield Academy's Taylor Wade and Blessed Trinity's London Ray. All eight finished in seventh place or better in their respective state meets.
The ATC announced a total of 42 runners — 21 boys and 21 girls who make up this year's Powerade All-Metro Team. They were selected based on performance at the state meet, throughout the season, head-to-head competition and performance at major meets.
"The number of Georgia high school runners performing at a national-caliber level increases every year," said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club's CEO in a release. "We see it as a good an exciting sign for the future of Running City USA that this team gets tougher to make with each passing year."
The runners will be honored at the end of the season banquet on Thursday, where they will find out if they made first, second or third team. The top runner announced for the first team will also be considered the Runner of the Year.
New this year is a chance for fans to get involved with the program as they can vote for the cross country performance of the year on 11Alive.com.
McGarity's dominating performance at the state meet is one of five nominees. Voting is open through noon on Thursday.
