With a core group of veteran runners and a few new faces the Dawson County cross-country team opened the 2019 season on Aug. 17 at the annual Pickens Preview 5K on the campus of Pickens County High School. Fifteen north Georgia schools fielded over 100 runners on a course that was mostly flat, but with some short, challenging hills and a tunnel. Terrain varied and included grass, asphalt, gravel road, dirt, and cement sidewalk. Senior Ben McGinnis set the pace for the boys’ field as he captured his first victory of the season with a time of 16.24.72. Fellow senior Colin Kilgore, in his first year with the Tigers, clocked in at 16:52.05 for a sixth-place finish and the two combined propelled Dawson County to a fourth-place team finish in their debut race.