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Published Saturday, November 07, 2009 in Sports

Local teams hope to peak at today's GHSA state championships

By Chris Goltermann

The Times-Herald

Success in high-school cross country is all about peaking at the right time. And there will be no better time than today for runners from all three of the county's public schools.

Newnan's boys and girls, along with boys teams from both East Coweta and Northgate travel to Carrollton this morning for the GHSA State Championships, held annually on the campus of Carrollton City Schools.

This morning's championships will begin with Newnan and East Coweta running in the Class AAAAA boys championship at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Lady Cougars in the Class AAAAA girls run at 9 a.m.

The Vikings, led by senior Bret Eady, begin the first of two Class AAAA state championships at 11:30 a.m.

Coming off a third-place effort in a deep Region 5-AAAA lineup at last week's region meet at Clinton Farms Reserve, Northgate wants to challenge for a finish inside the top-10.

Northgate got an opportunity to run the state course on Friday as a final refresher following two previous meets in Carrollton. Head coach Chris Kimes feels his lineup can contend should the Vikings run a "smart race."

"The tendency is to start out too fast," said Kimes, referencing the course's long straightaway of at least 100-yards before making an initial turn uphill. "Then once you make the turn, you're going uphill and things change. Two years ago, we fell into that trap."

Eady is coming off a personal-best time of 16:27 at last week's Region 5-AAAA meet, where he finished third overall. His best time in Carrollton this year is a 17:47 two weeks ago at the Last Chance Invitational and the senior ran 17:26 at last year's state meet while finishing 23rd.

Trent Golay and Gabe Pulsipher have provided depth as solid No. 2 and 3 runners, with Chad Albers, Tim Rayman and Justin Alderman expected to be among the scoring.

Newnan's boys will be led by junior Jonathan Ballantyne, who is coming off a personal best time of 16:30. Ballantyne is well on pace to better last year's time of 17:47 at the 2008 Class AAAAA meet, having posted a 17:36 two weeks ago on the state course.

The Lady Cougars have been led by both Sandy Gamino and Katie Davis among sub-21-minute times this season, both set at Clinton Farms.

Gamino won the county meet and set a personal-best time of 20:29 at the ASICS Invitational on Oct. 3, and Davis led the way for Newnan's girls last Saturday at the Region 4-AAAAA meet with a time of 20:44.

Davis, a first-year runner, ran a time of 21:48 two weeks ago at Carrollton's Last Chance Invitational. Gamino had a mark of 21:28 at Carrollton.

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