When: Today
Where: Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course
Race times: Class AAA boys, 2 p.m.; Class AAA girls, 2:30 p.m.; Class A boys, 3 p.m.; Class A girls, 3:30 p.m.; Class AA boys, 4:10 p.m.; Class AA girls, 4:40 p.m.
Course length: 5,000 meters (3.1 miles)
Advancement: Class A — 1 team, 5 other individuals not on that team; Class AA — 2 teams, 10 other individuals; Class AAA — 2 teams, 10 other individuals
Up next: Qualifiers advance to PIAA Championships, Saturday, Nov. 1, at Parkview Cross Country Course, Hershey.
Notable: Schuylkill League had a banner meet in 2013 with three individual champions (Pottsville’s Paige Stoner, Pine Grove’s McKayla Lally and Minersville’s Wesley Yutko), two individual championship teams (Minersville’s boys and girls) and another state-qualifying team (Jim Thorpe boys in Class AA). ... Keep an eye on Schuylkill Haven’s Sam Brennan and Marian’s Tina Capparell, who should be among the individual favorites in Class A. ... Several teams have changed classifications in the first year of the current two-year cycle. It remains to be seen how that affects the team races. ... Last year in Class AA girls, Northwestern Lehigh (36) and Wilson (100) went to states. Blue Mountain (102) stayed home. The Eagles have spent the last year using that disappointment as fuel to improve. Wilson and Blue Mountain have virtually everybody back. It should be really close once again. ... Also watch Jim Thorpe’s Johnathan Condly, Dylan Bucior and Jake Saxon, who finished 1-2-3 at the Schuylkill League Championships.
Quotable: “(Today) is going to be a really big day for us. We’ve been thinking about it ever since last year. Losing (a trip to states) by two points — that’s unheard of. You run back in your mind all of the different steps you could’ve taken. Everybody gave it their all last year, and I know everybody’s going to give it their all (today). Whatever happens, happens.’’
— Sarah Brooks, Blue Mountain senior, after last Thursday’s Schuylkill League Championships
Directions: Take Route 61 South to Interstate 78 East to Lehigh Valley. Follow 78 East to Exit 51, which is U.S. 22 East. Stay on Route 22 East to Route 378 South exit, which is just after the Airport Road exits. Follow the signs for Schoenersville Road. At the end of the exit ramp, turn left at the light. Turn left at the fifth traffic light, which is Illick’s Mill Road. The golf course is one-quarter of a mile on the right, just past the baseball fields.
— Compiled by Bob Lipsky