It was an incredible run (pun intended) by many of our local programs. All of them had various degrees of success, but all had a runner or two that consistently led their team. Here are the official 18 Runner of the Year nominees (alpha order).

WHAT’S NEXT? We will narrow this pool down to a finalist group of no more than 6. Our official BLITZ Voting Panel will then vote Heisman-style for the winner of the award.

Jensen Brown (Towns JR)

PR 17:36; Area 6th (18:01); State 11th (18:56); 1 1^st Place Finish; 3 Top-10s; 6 Top-20s

Luke Gambrell (Union JR)

PR 16:49; Region Runner-Up (17:21); State 4th (17:35); 1 1^st Place Finish; 5 Top-10s; 6 Top-20s

Lazero Garcia (Rabun SR)

PR 19:17; Region 21st (19:40); 2 Top-50s

Hunter Hartzog (Union SO)

PR 17:17; Region 7th (17:46); State 11th (17:55); 3 Top-5s; 4 Top-10s; 7 Top-20s

Demarco Hernandez (Commerce SR)

PR 16:57; Area Runner-Up (17:00); State Runner-Up (17:34); 7 Top-5s; 10 Top-10s; 11 Top-20s

Thomas Hotard (Habersham SR)

PR 16:06; Region Runner-Up (16:16); State 5th (16:40); 11 Top-10s (all races); 2 1^st Place Finishes; 7 Top-3 Place Finishes

Collin Kilgore (Dawson SR)

PR 16:15; Region Runner-Up (16:15); State 10th (17:03); 4 Top-10s; 5 Top-20s

Liam King (Towns JR)

PR 17:52; Area 5th (17:52); State 8th (18:31); 2 Top-5; 6 Top-10s; 7 Top-20s

Buck Ledford (Banks SO)

PR 17:27; Region 3rd (17:29); State 20th (18:30); 2 Top-10s; 6 Top-20s

Brandon Martin (Commerce JR)

PR 16:16; Area Champion (16:16); State Champion (17:02); 3 1^st Place Finishes; 9 Top-5s; 10 Top-10s

Ben McGinnis (Dawson SR)

PR 16:04; Region 3rd (16:16); State 11th (17:08); 1 1^st Place Finish; 5 Top-10s; 7 Top-20s

Eamonn O’Bryant (White JR)

PR 16:42; Region 6th (16:42); State 20th (17:28); 2 Top-10s; 5 Top-20s

Evan Prince (Tallulah Falls SO)

PR 16:14; Region 3rd (17:21); State 5th (16:53); 9 Top-5s (all races)

Grady Sanders (Stephens FR)

PR 17:55; Region 21st (18:07); 3 Top-10s; 5 Top-20s

Matthew Schroeder (Jefferson SO)

PR 16:19; Region Runner-Up (17:14); State 8th (16:55); 4 Top-10s; 5 Top-20s

Griffin Stephens (Banks SR)

PR 16:11; Region Champion (16:58); State Champion (16:44); 2 1^st Place Finishes; 4 Top-5s; 5 Top-10s; 6 Top-20s

Riley Thornton (Jefferson SR)

PR 15:35; Region & State N/A; 1 1^st Place Finish; 2 Top-20s

Kyle Trammell (Lumpkin SR)

PR 18:43; Region 29th (18:45); 2 Top-10s; 3 Top-20s