When: Saturday
Where: Parkview Cross Country Course, Hershey
Race times: Class A girls, 9:30 a.m.; Class AA girls, 10:15 a.m.; Class AAA girls, 11 a.m.; Class A boys, 11:45 p.m.; Class AA boys, 12:30 p.m.; Class AAA boys, 1:15 p.m.
Course length: 5,000 meters (3.1 miles)
Directions: Take Interstate 81 South to Exit 80 (Grantville/Hershey). Turn left off ramp onto Pa. Route 743. Follow 743 to Hersheypark Drive. Turn right and continue to Giant Center, turning left and continuing to parking area on far side of arena.
2013 state medalists: Paige Stoner, Pottsville, 18th in Class AAA girls; Karlie Heistand, Hamburg, 21st in Class AA girls
Returning state medalists: None
2014 state qualifiers: Class A girls — Megan Babinsky, fr., Mahanoy Area; Tina Capparell, fr., Marian; Kaylene Raczka, fr., Minersville; McKayla Lally, soph., Pine Grove; Carly Teaschenko, soph., Shenandoah Valley
Class A boys — Adam Bahrey, jr., Mahanoy Area; Matt Derr, soph., Mahanoy Area; Sam Brennan, sr., Schuylkill Haven
Class AA boys — Johnathan Condly, sr., Jim Thorpe; Nathan Fields, sr., Jim Thorpe; Jake Saxon, sr., Jim Thorpe; Dylan Bucior, jr., Jim Thorpe; Jian Gentile, jr., Jim Thorpe; Ben Saxon, soph., Jim Thorpe; Chris Valdez, fr., Jim Thorpe; Jason Montemuro, jr., Jim Thorpe; Michael Blacketter, soph., Lehighton
Awards: The top 25 individual finishers in each class, both boys and girls, will receive medals and be designated as All-State.
What to watch: Much of the local attention will be on Capparell and Condly. Capparell, the District 11 Class A champion, has run times that could put her in contention for a medal. Condly, meanwhile, gets one final chance to earn his first state medal. Last season, he finished 26th — one place, and one second away from the medals stand. He ran 17:15 at states a year ago but has been consistently in the 16s much of the season, including a 16:43 for second place last week at districts. ... The Parkview course contains some big-time changes in elevation, much more like Tuscarora State Park (Schuylkill League) than the Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course (District 11). ... As the District 11 runner-up, Jim Thorpe qualified for states as a team for the second straight season. The Olympians finished 12th in a field of 19 last fall. ... Other local runners making a return trip to states and their 2013 results include: Pine Grove’s Lally (60th, 21:22), Shenandoah Valley’s Teaschenko (149th, 23:14), Mahanoy Area’s Bahrey (171st, 19:38), Schuylkill Haven’s Brennan (212nd, 21:09), Jim Thorpe’s Jake Saxon (154th, 18:38), Jim Thorpe’s Ben Saxon (211st, 19:49) and Jim Thorpe’s Gentile (214th, 19:59). ... Schuylkill League Division II champion Mahanoy Area had a productive postseason, qualifying three runners for states. ... Lally missed most of the season with an injury but returned to place second at the District 11 meet. ... Also keep an eye on Jim Thorpe’s Bucior, who came out for the team at midseason and placed third at districts.
— Compiled by Bob Lipsky