Adidas West Stride Buckhead Invitational Preview

NORTH ATLANTA PRESS RELEASE

Buckhead Invitational Preview The 2nd Annual Adidas West Stride Buckhead Invitational promises some key battles. However, the team trophy may take the cake! The team trophies are the most unique in Georgia high school track history. The boys' trophy features an actual buck head, while the girls' is a doe head. Last year Chamblee won the girls' title and got the doe, which the quickly and affectionately named "Bamblee." Druid Hills won the Buck head for the boys' title. The meet will also feature the only automatic retrieval of the discus in Georgia high school history as the North Atlanta's Robotics Team's robot will fetch the discs.

The Boys' side features some key match ups this year, as Marvin Kinsey of Riverwood and Julious Washington of North Atlanta re-kindle their rivalry from last year's regional and state meets in the 400. The 3200 will feature a rematch of last year's battle between juniors Emaris Tewolde of Druid Hills and Jackson Pearce of North Atlanta. However, senior Davis Stockwell of Lakeside Dekalb who was state 5A cross country champion in 2014 and recently revved up with an indoor 9:53 at Birmingham on Jan. 29th may have something to say about that.

On the girls' end, the 400 should be a barn burner with four athletes (Venida Fagan -- Chamblee, Erin Marsh -- Buford, Madison Beecher -- Dunwoody, and Jennifer Thompson -- Riverwood) showing 58 second or better performances. The girls 1600 is loaded. Defending Champ and State 5A 3200 Champ Ansley Heavern has her work cut out for her with a field that includes 2014 double state champ (16 & 32) Helen Williams (5:00) of AIS, 2015 state 3200 5A scorers Ana Hayden (5:13) and Elizabeth Graves (5:17) of Riverwood. Lakeside stalwarts Morgan Mihalis and Corrie Smith will give chase, along with 2015 state 5A cross country champion Samantha Cameron of Dunwoody. The girls 3200 will feature two of the top three 5A finishers in the state meet last year -- Heavern and Graves, along with Williams. The girls' long jump features two of the top jumpers in the state. They are both from Chamblee, defending champ Elena Brown-Soler (18-1) and Rachel Elder (18-6).