November 9, 2026 – Early November in the state of Georgia brings yearly constants. Fall foliage and leaf blowers come to mind. Fluctuating weather patterns confuse wardrobes, and holiday wish lists begin to form. Equally as annual is the dominance of Pope High School’s Cross Country (XC) program.
Over the first full weekend of November, the Pope girls XC team won their third straight team state championship. Additionally, the program enjoyed its third consecutive individual XC state champion, when senior Aislynn Dunn crossed the finish line first and defended her 2025 title.
“We are more than proud of our Running Hounds for their performance this weekend,” Pope Cross Country Coach Cathi Monk beamed. “There is an immense sense of pride in celebrating three consecutive State Championships, not only for the athletes and coaches who have worked tirelessly to achieve this success, but also for the community that stands with us. Each championship strengthens the bond between the team and the community, creating traditions and memories that will endure for generations.”
Pope Athletic Director Lindsay Barnette shared her pride as well.
“We are incredibly proud of this team, and the individual accomplishments celebrated this weekend,” Barnette said. “These championships are a reflection of the dedication, work ethic, and commitment to excellence that our student-athletes and coaches demonstrate every day.”
Pope’s girls team dominated the 2026 6A Cross Country State Championships. In XC, scores are tabulated based on the finish of a team’s five fastest runners, with first place receiving one point, second place receiving two points, and so on. Pope’s top five girls finished first (Dunn), second (junior Kate Rytlewski), 12th (junior Louise Delgado), 13th (junior Phoebe Throckmorton), and 18th (junior Fallyn Wheeler) for a remarkably low 46 total points. Johns Creek High School came in second at 146 points. Lassiter High School’s girls team finished in sixth place.
Clearly, with so many high-finishing juniors, Pope’s girls XC team is well-positioned to continue the program’s success. Since 2018, Pope’s girls have had eight top-five team finishes, with four state titles.
Pope’s boys XC teams have also been impressive, with eight top-five team finishes since 2016, including a state title in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2026. Senior Rowen Maloney was the highest individual finisher for the Greyhounds this year, coming in fifth. Lassiter’s boys team finished in seventh place.
Aislynn Dunn’s back-to-back individual state titles are the culmination of an impressive high school cross country career. As a freshman in 2023, Aislynn finished eighth, then followed that with a third-place finish as a sophomore. In her two state title runs, Aislynn earned the champion's medal with finishes of 18:52.89 as a junior and 18:27.15 as a senior. She is committed to continue her athletic career at Furman University next fall.
“Aislynn Dunn’s competitive drive has remained steadfast throughout this season and all of her years at Pope,” AD Barnette emphasized. “What makes Aislynn especially impressive is that, despite her many accolades and accomplishments, she remains motivated to continue improving and pushing herself. She maintains straight A's and a GPA above 4.0, demonstrating that the same determination and discipline she brings to athletics carries over into the classroom.”
In other classifications, Cobb Schools also did well. In the 5A State Championship meet, Allatoona High School finished ninth as a team in the girls competition. Senior Molly Hensel finished twelfth. Allatoona’s boys finished sixth in the team competition, with junior Alexander Cabral the highest finisher, placing 18th.
In the 7A Girls Cross Country State Championships, several teams and individuals did well. Harrison High School finished with 53 points in second place, just five points behind the champion. Walton High School earned fifth, and Hillgrove High School placed ninth. Harrison sophomore Norah Hickerson was the highest finisher in third, barely ahead of teammate and defending state champion junior Paige Comstock in fourth. Harrison freshman Palak Shah came in eighth.
In the 7A Boys Cross Country State Championships, Harrison’s boys team also won silver with a runner-up finish. Walton’s boys finished third. Harrison senior Riley Comstock was the only Cobb Schools runner to finish in the top ten in this race, matching his fifth-place finish from last year’s meet.
Congratulations to Pope on their state championships and to all the runners who qualified from Cobb Schools, with special recognition for those who finished in the top ten.
h/t non-branded photos provided by Pope Athletics and the Dunn family
branded Harrison photos taken by Cobb Sports intern Ansley Smith
