Sherwood and Southland Won Region Cross Country Titles
The championship cross country meet was held at Albany's Legacy Park on October 7.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Track & Field
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The Sherwood Christian girls and Southland Academy boys cross country teams secured region championship titles this week. Both schools dominated the podium at the meet held at Legacy Park in Albany.
Why it matters
These team victories serve as a crucial qualifying step for the upcoming state championships. Athletes must perform at the top of their field to advance to the next level of regional competition.
Marigrace Garcia-Simmons finished the girls race in 20 minutes and 43.67 seconds, while Nico Williams won the boys event in 16 minutes and 43.59 seconds. Jesus Soto and Natnael Russell completed the top three for the boys with times of 17 minutes and 9.24 seconds and 17 minutes and 28.76 seconds, respectively.
The players
Sherwood Christian
This athletic program secured the regional girls cross country title by placing five scoring runners in the top 10.
Southland Academy
This school won the regional boys cross country championship by successfully placing five of their runners in the top eight.
Marigrace Garcia-Simmons
She is the individual girls region champion who completed the race in 20 minutes and 43.67 seconds.
Nico Williams
He finished the boys race in 16 minutes and 43.59 seconds to claim the individual region title.
Jesus Soto
He competed in the boys race and secured a second-place finish with a time of 17 minutes and 9.24 seconds.
The details
Sherwood Christian secured their girls title by placing five scoring runners in the top 10, with seven total athletes finishing among the top 11. Southland Academy claimed the boys championship by placing five runners in the top eight, despite a Sherwood Christian runner sustaining a broken leg just days before the event.
Timeline
A Sherwood Christian runner sustained a broken leg on October 4, 2026.
The region cross country championship meet took place on October 7, 2026.
The state championships are scheduled for October 15-21, 2026.
Season Trajectory
These results dictate which teams move forward in the state qualification path established by the Georgia High School Association state cross country championship qualification criteria. The dominant finishes at the regional level set the competitive landscape for the upcoming state meet in Macon.
The top finishers from this meet move on to represent the region in the upcoming state championship competition. Teams now enter the final week of training before the state meet scheduled to take place in Macon.
The takeaway
Advancing teams must now shift focus to the state meet following their strong performance at Legacy Park. Athletes should prioritize recovery during this final week to ensure peak performance for the championship in Macon.
What happens next
The state championships are scheduled to occur in Macon between October 15 and October 21, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on the regional schedule and upcoming qualifiers, visit the Track & Field section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Albany Herald.
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