Successful Norcross High Cross Country Teams Bring Home High Scores

Everyone is invited to help support the team at the Blue Devil Run on February 8

The Norcross High School boys’ and girls’ cross country teams had significant success this season, making it a benchmark year for the Blue Devil runners.

The boys’ team made waves by winning the 7A Area Four Championships, defeating powerhouse schools such as Brookwood and Millcreek, which Norcross High School hasn’t done since 1982. The girls’ team also scored well, placing 6th out of the 13 schools that competed there. Two of their runners, Merritt Blum and Claudia Gatti, placed in the top 12.

Nathan Brooks, who has been coaching the runners for three years, talked about how the experience brought the team closer as a whole. “We had to overcome a lot of different challenges, but the camaraderie and support that the seniors gave the rest of the runners will definitely be missed,” he said.

Their journey didn’t stop there. Winning at the regional championship was a stepping stone to the team’s ultimate goal: competing at the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) state cross country championships in Carrollton, Ga.

“Being able to take our boys’ and girls’ teams to the 7A state championships is a big accomplishment,” said senior Merritt Blum. “You’re going out there and running against the most competitive teams in the area, and by the end of the season, everyone is at their peak.”

She added that despite the pressure, “…the chance to compete there gave us that second wind we needed to train ourselves even harder for the championships. Even though we work hard all season, knowing that we had the opportunity to go up against the best of all the cross country runners in Georgia gave us a new kind of motivation.”

Their hard work paid off, and the boys’ team placed 7th in the state. Four of the team’s runners placed in the top 50 out of the runners who competed there: Miguel Schlicht (15th), Joseph Winters (33th), Gabriel Schlicht (34th) and Yonas Chimbanda (47th).

Gabriel Schlicht described his experience as something unforgettable. “It was very exciting. You could feel the energy as the 200-plus runners sprinted off the starting line—and the atmosphere was electric,” he said. “My favorite part was the finishing downhill sprint because the spectators were going crazy.”

The girls’ team also performed exceptionally, and as a team ended up 14th out of the schools that competed. Junior Claudia Gatti finished 17th, and senior Merritt Blum rounded out the girls’ score, placing 43rd.

The teams’ accomplishments this season wouldn’t have been possible without the support of their dedicated coaching staff: Nathan Brooks, Katherine Yost and Ken Almon.

Nathan Brooks said, “This year’s team was a treat for me as a coach. We accomplished a whole lot winning the 7A area title for the first time in almost 40 years, and on top of that finishing 7th at the state meet. As an organization, we’re looking forward to carrying that success into the track season and continuing the growth we have had this fall.”

If you’d like to support the Norcross cross country team, you’re invited to participate in the 10th annual Blue Devil Run on Saturday, February 8. The beloved community event is fun for the whole family. Proceeds of the race go towards funding Norcross’s cross country and track teams.

You can register at bluedevilsrun.com to run or walk—or even to support the team as a phantom runner if you can’t make it to the race. There’ll be breakfast, coffee and sponsor tables for the runners to enjoy before and after the race, as well as a warm-up led by a YMCA instructor. The Blue Devil Run is a Peachtree Road Race qualifier.