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Atlanta Track Club News
12/06/2023 by Barbara Huebner

Dollar and Latham Named All-Metro XC Runners of the Year

Both of the reigning GHSA 6A state champions were named Runners of the Year at Atlanta Track Club's 2023 All-Metro Cross Country Awards ceremony on Tuesday night.

Katelynn Dollar, a Creekview High School senior, and Tommy Latham, a junior from Marist School, received the year's top honors among the 42 high school runners named to the first, second and third teams at the annual event.

The fastest boy in Georgia this fall thanks to his time of 14:41.01 at the Southern Showcase in September, Latham not only repeated as state champion but also notched a commanding win at Wingfoot XC Presented by Publix. After placing third at Southeast Regional qualifying, he ended his season with a 15th-place finish at Nike Cross Nationals.\

Latham was also named boys' Runner of the Year in 2022.

"I feel very grateful," said Latham. "I've seen a bunch of runners come through and I watched this banquet for all the time I was in middle school. To be named to this award twice is an honor."

Also named to the boys' first team were Jacob Pullen (Maynard H. Jackson), Joseph Jacquot (Westminster), Joseph Minecci (Walton), Jackson Hogsed (Lambert), Jameson Pifer (Collins Hill) and Esfan Daya (Westminster).

Fresh from setting a course record on the notoriously challenging Carrollton state meet course, running 17:49 for 5K to win the state crown, Dollar is also the 2023 Cherokee Country Cross Country champion. Her time of 17:31.78 at a meet in September makes her the second-fastest girl in Georgia this season.

"Those are such wonderful girls that I was up there with," said Dollar after leaving the stage where the first team was presented. "On any other day it could have been anybody else. Being the top on this day is incredible, but I know that's not set in stone and I want to keep working until it is."

She is joined on the girls' first team by Caroline Hood (Pace Academy), Mary Nesmith (Marietta), Jewell Wells (Mill Creek), Zahara Bernal (Pace Academy), Sanam Rangaraj (Cambridge) and Ruby Little (Marist School). It's the fourth time Little has been named to the All-Metro team.

Full first-, second- and third-team lists are below. First teams are ranked as a traditional cross country team by performance while the second and third teams are listed alphabetically.

Held annually since 1964, the All-Metro Cross Country and Track & Field ceremonies are Atlanta Track Club's longest-standing tradition. Athletes are selected by their performance at the state meet, season overview and performances in major meets against other All-Metro contenders. This year's group of 21 boys and 21 girls includes runners from 26 different schools and seven counties. It also boasts nine runners who won state titles at the GHSA State Championship Meet.


ALL-METRO CROSS COUNTRY AWARDS

Girls First Team

Katelynn Dollar

Creekview High School

12

Caroline Hood

Pace Academy

12

Mary Nesmith

Marietta High School

10

Ruby Little

Marist School

12

Jewell Wells

Mill Creek High School

11

Zahara Bernal

Pace Academy

11

Sanam Rangaraj

Cambridge High School

12


Boys First Team

Tommy Latham

Marist School

11

Jacob Pullen

Maynard H. Jackson High School

12

Joseph Jacquot

Westminster School

12

Joseph Minecci

Walton High School

12

Jackson Hogsed

Lambert High School

11

Jameson Pifer

Collins Hill High School

10

Esfan Daya

Westminster School

12


Girls Second Team

Stella Chambless

Marist School

12

Josie Hutchinson

Pope High School

10

Maddie Jones

Marietta High School

11

Weezie Moore

Wesleyan School

9

Olivia Resnick

Pace Academy

11

Morgan Grace Sheffield

Denmark High School

12

Isabel Yonas

South Forsyth High School

12


Boys Second Team

Chris Connolly

Chattahoochee High School

12

Davis Drake

Johnson Ferry Christian Academy

11

Eli Griggs

Mill Creek High School

12

Liam Hanemann

Marist School

11

Christian Jimenez

Roswell High School

12

Wood Moore

Wesleyan School

11

Ben Winn

South Forsyth High School

11


Girls Third Team

Sophie D'Elena

Decatur High School

11

Zoe Garcia

St. Pius X

12

Nora Hart

Marietta High School

12

Samantha McGarity

Harrison High School

12

Claire Petersen

Blessed Trinity High School

12

Caroline Rogers

Marist School

9

Claire Shelton

Dunwoody High School

12


Boys Third Team

Ethan Bridge

Denmark High School

11

Malachi Burnett

Creekview High School

10

Riley Comstock

Harrison High School

9

Haris Flynn

The Mount Vernon School

10

Teddy Meredith

North Atlanta High School

12

Andrew Rothwell

Whitefield Academy

12

Ben Sydell

Denmark High School

12