Cross Country Championships Return To Cabell Midland

Cabell Midland High School will host the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission Cross Country Championship on Saturday, Oct. 31. The meet fields team entries from four classes, the second year the state has split competition into four divisions.

University High School's boys team arrives with the state's longest active title run, seven consecutive championships in Class AAAA. The defending team champions in every classification have also qualified: University, Elkins, Doddridge County and Charleston Catholic on the boys side, and Cabell Midland, Bridgeport, Frankfort and St. Marys on the girls side.

Twelve schools enter boys teams in Class AAAA, among them Cabell Midland, George Washington, Hurricane, Jefferson, Morgantown, Parkersburg, Parkersburg South, Preston, Spring Mills, University, Wheeling Park and Woodrow Wilson. The Class AAAA girls list runs to 12 as well: Buckhannon-Upshur, Cabell Midland, Huntington, Hurricane, Morgantown, Musselman, Parkersburg, Parkersburg South, Preston, University, Washington and Wheeling Park.

Class AAA boys qualifiers number 12, including Bridgeport, East Fairmont, Elkins, Grafton, Greenbrier East, Hampshire, Herbert Hoover, Keyser, Ripley, St. Albans, Shady Spring and Winfield. The Class AAA girls field lists Bridgeport, East Fairmont, Elkins, Fairmont Senior, Grafton, Greenbrier East, Herbert Hoover, John Marshall, Nicholas County, St. Albans, Shady Spring and Winfield.

Class AA sends 12 boys teams: Braxton County, Buffalo, Doddridge County, Frankfort, Independence, James Monroe, Lincoln, Ravenswood, Scott, Wayne, Westside and Williamstown. Nine girls teams line up in Class AA, with Braxton County, Buffalo, Clay County, Doddridge County, Frankfort, Lincoln, Oak Glen, Sissonville and Williamstown entered.

The Class A boys division has 10 entries: Charleston Catholic, Clay-Battelle, Richwood, Ritchie County, St. Marys, Trinity, Tucker County, Webster County, Wheeling Central Catholic and Wirt County. Class A girls teams come from Charleston Catholic, Gilmer County, Pendleton County, Richwood, Ritchie County, St. Marys, Trinity, Webster County, Wheeling Central Catholic and Wirt County.

Last year's four-class format crowned University, Elkins, Doddridge County and Charleston Catholic as boys team champions, with Cabell Midland, Bridgeport, Frankfort and St. Marys taking the girls team titles.