The Warrior men’s cross country team huddled in the minutes just before the start of its race in the state cross country championships in Carrollton on Nov. 7. Team coach George Sanderlin gave the team a challenge just before the firing of the gun for the 5A race. “Remember that this is your chance to make history,” he said.

The team members took this message to heart and ran to make history of their own. The Warrior harriers finished 11th of 32 teams. The impressive run in soggy and wet conditions bested the 2002 team’s 13th place finish and marked the best state meet placement in North Atlanta history. Co-captain Jackson Pearce slogged through the slow muddy course and to lead the team in 34th place. North’s second through sixth runners “pack ran” through about two and a quarter miles when freshman Matthew Aspinwall broke out. Freshmen Mac Bloodworth closed on him at the two and a half mile mark. At the finish, the second through fifth and last scoring Warrior all finished within 15 seconds (20 places) of each other. Bloodworth (73rd) nosed out Aspinwall (74th) by a scant three one hundredths of a second at the finish.

The freshmen were followed by senior Co-Captains Nicholas Durham (83rd) and Jack Tribou (93rd).

Sanderlin said this year’s team was marked by heart and hard work. And he said the strong finish indicates next year’s team will be even more competitive. “I knew at the beginning of the season that we had the potential, at least on paper, to have a special year,” Sanderlin said. “We were probably the only team in the state that returned all of its top 15 runners. However, in August that was ‘on paper.’ What these athletes did, with the addition of some key freshmen, was prove themselves week after week. Then at the ultimate test, the state meet, they proved that they are the best men’s team in North Atlanta history.”