2017 Milton HS Cross Country Preview

By Andy Carr

The Milton High School cross country teams look to build on last season’s successes and look to again grace the podium at the GHSA state meet for the 4th consecutive year by both the boys and girls squads.

Since 2014, Milton has been the top-finishing program in the state of Georgia in the largest classification with an average team finish by BOTH programs of better than 4th place.

BOYS Preview

The Eagle boys team is poised to improve on a school best 3rd place at the 2016 state meet. With a team loaded with senior runners and with the return of the individual state champion, Milton looks to battle for the championship, which would be it’s first in school history as the Eagles have never won a team state title in cross country.

Individually Milton has a strong top-3 that will be tough to match by any other program in the state and in the southeast US. Led by senior Sam Bowers, the defending state champion and 3200-meter track champion from the spring, looks to repeat his title run. Following Bowers is fellow senior Michael Malkowski who was 6th in last year’s state meet and the runner-up and school record holder in the 1600m run. Malkowski has made big improvements and will challenge for a top-spot on the podium with Bowers. New to the Milton program, senior Nicholas Yanek, could and will surprise many as the Iowa-transfer made his name known this past track season with a strong 5th place finish in the 3200m run at the state meet help in the Eagles place 4th as a team. Yanek’s front-running style will provide Milton a strong top-3 in every race this season. The Eagles will also rely heavily on seniors Ryan Beitzell (top-20 in the state the last two years), Dru Milton, Cam Harman & Andrew Blizzard. Also to watch will be incoming freshman Hayden Marshall who has challenged many times/performances that Bowers ran in middle school.

GIRLS Preview

After a history making season in 2016 that saw the Lady Eagles win most of their meets, being ranked 4th in the southeast US and a 4th place finish at the state meet, Milton looks to return to the podium and will surprise many even after losing 3 of their top-7 runners from 2016.

Milton has a strong core of five runners that will lead the Lady Eagle effort and all have big-meet experience from last season. Sophomore Abby Rindt, the teams track distance MVP looks to make good at the state meet after last season’s tough finish that put her in the medical tent. In the top-3 all season in 2016, Rindt will be tough and strong in many races this season. Junior Taylor Cushman made her running a priority and will be another leader for Milton. Cushman’s strong track season and summer mileage should make her one to watch out for. The Lady Eagles also look towards senior captain’s Jessie Barnes & Emily Bowers to provide strong & consistent finishes to make this team strong and along with junior Faith Wagner, whose summer training and work in the Cirque program has made her a top-runner on the team who will be counted on to propel Milton to a podium finish at the state meet.