The high school cross country season will kick into full gear this weekend with St. Xavier High School’s Tiger Run.
The event is set for Saturday at Louisville Champions Park, with the boys varsity race at 9:50 a.m. and the girls varsity race at 10:35 a.m.
St. X is the defending Class 3-A state champion and returns five of its top seven runners from last season in senior Ryan Guenthner, juniors Patrick Schaefer, Cooper Marchal and Joey Schrepferman and sophomore Zach Larkin
The other defending boys state champions are North Oldham (Class 2-A) and Lexington Christian (Class A).
Last year’s girls state champions were Daviess County (3-A), Highlands (2-A) and St. Henry (A).
The top three finishers in last year’s girls 3-A state meet are all back this year in Manual junior Alena Sapienza-Wright, Male junior Kaitlyn Lacy and Sacred Heart junior Kathleen Simms.