Oct 26, 2006 By The 1 min read

The months of training all come down to this afternoon when boys and girls take to the course at Cooper’s Lake near Slippery Rock in the WPIAL Cross Country Championships. The top four teams and 20 non-team qualifiers advance to next week’s PIAA Championships in both Class AAA and AA boys and girls. The top 20 finishers in each race receive medals.

Footing was treacherous in last Thursday’s Tri-State Coaches Invitational, but the course is to have been rerouted around the trouble spots.

Only two medallists return from last year with three running advancing to the state meet. Waynesburg Central’s Maria Shepas and Southmoreland’s Chris Kiefer won medals in Class AA in 2005, while Brownsville’s Erika Coffey earning one of the non-qualifying spots.

Laurel Highlands’ Jeff Palya missed last year due to illness, so the senior will be making the most of his final shot at running in the state meet, as will Connellsville’s Joe Villaneuva.

Last year the cut to qualify for the PIAA Championships was 38 in Class AA girls, 31 in Class AAA girls, 33 in Class AAA boys and 34 in Class AA boys.