Re: Georgia 2017
Posted: March 1st, 2017, 9:34 am
What I've learned this season: predicting all places is usually not going to end well. I'll just go for the top (arbitrary amount) for the rest of the regionals.
Georgia Perimeter College (C): 1. GSMST 2. Northview 3. Parkview 4. Chamblee Charter 5. Rockdale Magnet A 6. Thomas County Central A 7. Eagles Home Educators
Last year Parkview split their teams at regionals, so I'm not too sure what to think. Northview tends to get better later in the year, but they've still been doing far worse than in previous years (and I hear they lost their coach). As rfs coach notes, six state qualifiers from last year (GSMST, Northview, Parkview, Chamblee Charter, Rockdale Magnet, and Thomas County Central) are all competing for a likely 3 state bids.
Coweta County (B): 1. Five Forks 2. J.C. Booth 3. East Cobb 4. Madras
A probable 3 state bids here. The top two are pretty certain; although Five Forks was top 10 at state last year, Booth was recovering from a year without a team, so it should be somewhat close. I honestly have no idea who will get the third bid; either East Cobb or Madras (who qualified 3 years ago) seems most likely to me.
Forsyth County (B): 1. River Trail 2. McCleskey 3. Chamblee 4. Hightower Trail 5. Durham 6. Lakeside 7. Taylor Road 8. Campbell
This should be fun to watch! (and watch I will...) Any of these eight teams could potentially take one of the 4-5 state bids, and honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see Taylor Road or Campbell as high as 4th (and only slightly surprised to see them as high as 2nd). River Trail has been dropping from their peak 2014 and 2015 years, but looked strong at invitationals so far. McCleskey is brand-new but impressed at invitationals, winning Gold Flight at Dodgen. Chamblee took a huge run-up last year, qualifying for state for the firts time in several years and finishing right outside of the top 10. Durham took a surprise win over Crews last year, though I'm not sure how telling that is. Lakeside didn't do too well at invitationals but tend to qualify for state regardless. Taylor Road may have finished near the top at Dodgen Gold Flight if they had actually entered more than ~15 events; they won 5 gold medals in the events they did enter. Hightower Trail finished in the top 10 after qualifying for state last year for the first time (as far as I know), and finished close behind McCleskey. Campbell also frequently qualifies for state, though I don't think they'll do it with the number of regular state qualifiers here.
Georgia State University (B): 1. Kittredge 2. South Forsyth 3. Coleman 4. Autrey Mill 5. Trickum 6. Radloff 7. Dickerson
An expected 4-5 state bids here. Kittredge didn't do too well at Dodgen, but they almost never go to invitationals and still end up in the top 10 at state consistently. In addition, their team is entirely 6th graders, so there'll be a significant learning curve each year as the competitors enter Div B. South Forsyth did very well at invitationals, finishing top 10 at Dodgen, and 12th/14th split at Chattahoochee; they seem likely to finish in the top 10 (or possibly even top 5) at state. Coleman and Autrey Mill finished 4th and 7th at Dodgen in Gold Flight, so they look most likely to take the next two spots. Trickum has fallen rather far from their strong 2015 class, but they have sufficient history that they can probably hold off Radloff and Dickerson (though one never knows; Radloff finished ahead of them at Chattahoochee)
Georgia Perimeter College (C): 1. GSMST 2. Northview 3. Parkview 4. Chamblee Charter 5. Rockdale Magnet A 6. Thomas County Central A 7. Eagles Home Educators
Last year Parkview split their teams at regionals, so I'm not too sure what to think. Northview tends to get better later in the year, but they've still been doing far worse than in previous years (and I hear they lost their coach). As rfs coach notes, six state qualifiers from last year (GSMST, Northview, Parkview, Chamblee Charter, Rockdale Magnet, and Thomas County Central) are all competing for a likely 3 state bids.
Coweta County (B): 1. Five Forks 2. J.C. Booth 3. East Cobb 4. Madras
A probable 3 state bids here. The top two are pretty certain; although Five Forks was top 10 at state last year, Booth was recovering from a year without a team, so it should be somewhat close. I honestly have no idea who will get the third bid; either East Cobb or Madras (who qualified 3 years ago) seems most likely to me.
Forsyth County (B): 1. River Trail 2. McCleskey 3. Chamblee 4. Hightower Trail 5. Durham 6. Lakeside 7. Taylor Road 8. Campbell
This should be fun to watch! (and watch I will...) Any of these eight teams could potentially take one of the 4-5 state bids, and honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see Taylor Road or Campbell as high as 4th (and only slightly surprised to see them as high as 2nd). River Trail has been dropping from their peak 2014 and 2015 years, but looked strong at invitationals so far. McCleskey is brand-new but impressed at invitationals, winning Gold Flight at Dodgen. Chamblee took a huge run-up last year, qualifying for state for the firts time in several years and finishing right outside of the top 10. Durham took a surprise win over Crews last year, though I'm not sure how telling that is. Lakeside didn't do too well at invitationals but tend to qualify for state regardless. Taylor Road may have finished near the top at Dodgen Gold Flight if they had actually entered more than ~15 events; they won 5 gold medals in the events they did enter. Hightower Trail finished in the top 10 after qualifying for state last year for the first time (as far as I know), and finished close behind McCleskey. Campbell also frequently qualifies for state, though I don't think they'll do it with the number of regular state qualifiers here.
Georgia State University (B): 1. Kittredge 2. South Forsyth 3. Coleman 4. Autrey Mill 5. Trickum 6. Radloff 7. Dickerson
An expected 4-5 state bids here. Kittredge didn't do too well at Dodgen, but they almost never go to invitationals and still end up in the top 10 at state consistently. In addition, their team is entirely 6th graders, so there'll be a significant learning curve each year as the competitors enter Div B. South Forsyth did very well at invitationals, finishing top 10 at Dodgen, and 12th/14th split at Chattahoochee; they seem likely to finish in the top 10 (or possibly even top 5) at state. Coleman and Autrey Mill finished 4th and 7th at Dodgen in Gold Flight, so they look most likely to take the next two spots. Trickum has fallen rather far from their strong 2015 class, but they have sufficient history that they can probably hold off Radloff and Dickerson (though one never knows; Radloff finished ahead of them at Chattahoochee)