Last week, Athens Academy’s boys cross country team wrapped up their regular season well, dominating the region meet, and winning their 7th region championship in a row. The team has had a phenomenal season so far, prevailing near the top of the standings in every race they’ve competed in. However, the season isn’t over yet.

Heading into the state meet, the team is hungry for a title. Last year’s 11th place finish left a bad taste in their mouth, and according to Junior Matthew Reilley, this is their year. He says, “We didn’t lose a single Varsity runner last year, and with the addition of some quick freshmen and new PR’s from everyone, we’re in a great position to make a run at state.”

One could argue Athens Academy’s most improved runner comes in the form of Will Garrard, a Sophomore who leads the team. Will had a respectable PR of 17:59 last year, something not many Freshmen achieve, but this year, he’s taken his running to new heights. In only the third race of the year, he improved to a time of 16:14, placing him as the 2nd best Sophomore across the state in Athens Academy’s 1A-3A Private division.

Athens Academy’s team isn’t built solely on strength in the front, though. As Coach Anderson always says, we’re “a team that pushes from the back,” meaning that everyone pushes the person in front of them to contribute to the success of the team as a whole. Athens Academy has the deepest team in the state, with over fifteen runners having a sub-20 minute PR.

As the Spartans prepare for state, the mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent has them poised for a successful postseason finish. With momentum on their side and confidence building after a dominant regular season, Athens Academy’s boys cross country team looks ready to bring a state title back to Spartan Lane.