Schools

Pisgah's Reilly Ends Stellar Prep Career

Sam Reilly ends stellar prep cross country career with third place finish.

Already the most decorated distance runner in school history, Sam Reilly finished his prep cross country career with his best performance, finishing third overall at Saturday’s GHSA Class A meet in Carrollton. The senior set a new personal record time of 16:22, which was one of 27 National Elite performances (Reilly was 21st) from all classifications on the day. 

“Sam ran a well-executed race on Saturday. We had been waiting for this type of performance from him – we knew he had it in him - and he did it at just the right time,” said head cross country coach Susan Reilly.

The Milton native earned All-State status, finishing behind nationally ranked 800 meter runner Cameron Thornton from Whitefield Academy and First Presbyterian Day’s veteran Gray Lindley.  

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“I was really excited about my finish,” said Reilly. “For the last half of the season I had been cramping for the last mile. Plus, I was making things more difficult on myself by making it such a tactical race instead of going out and just running. My strategy was to go out with the leaders and hold on for dear life.”

Reilly holds school records in the 5K, 3200 meters, 1600 meters, 800 meters and as a member of the 4x400 meter relay team. He was also one of ten finalists in the state for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award, which is a program that honors top High School scholars, athletes and citizens.

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“For me the final race, especially with the disappointment of the second half of the season, was awesome. It’s a great motivator for winter training and track season,” Reilly said.

In addition to Reilly, the entire Patriots team put forth strong performances to place Pisgah seventh – the best finish ever at the state meet.

“Our guys ran a great race at the State Meet. We finished in front of several teams that had been ranked ahead of us all season, and missed a sixth-place finish by only one point. It takes a long time to build a program, and this year was the first time in our eight-year history that we’ve had a core group of guys who had been committed to distance running for the past two to four years, rather than joining the team to stay in shape for another sport. That has made a big difference in our success,” said coach Reilly. “This is a turning point for the boys cross country team. Our seniors will graduate, but we have an experienced group of underclassmen with talented leadership and ability to keep the success going.”

The team totaled 233 points, one point behind Darlington (232 points) and eleven points behind Athens Christian (222 points). There were 36 teams and 238 runners competing in the race.

In addition to Reilly, scoring for Pisgah were Shane Sullivan (32nd place; 17:42), Grant Hicks (45th; 18:15), Chris Spriggs (72nd; 18:51) and Bo Stuart (90th place; 19:14).

– Mount Pisgah Christian School


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