Cross countryLocal teams will contend for titles

Today

at Sandhills Research Center

Class A Boys: 9 a.m.

Class AA-A girls: 9:30 a.m.

Class AAA girls: 11 a.m.

Class AAA boys: 11:30 a.m.

Class AAAA girls: Noon

Class AAAA boys: 12:30 p.m.

Three Lowcountry teams head into today's High School League State Cross Country Championships ranked No. 1 in the state. By the end of the day, the Wando girls, Hilton Head boys and Bishop England boys will know if they lived up to the lofty rankings.

The Wando girls moved to the top spot in the latest coaches' poll, replacing Summerville, which fell from the top spot to No. 2 in the state. The Stratford girls, ranked No. 3 in the state, should also challenge for the title during today's race, which will be contested at the Sandhills Research Center in Columbia.

The Hilton Head boys should dominate the Class AAA race, while Bishop England should face stiff challenges from Liberty, Broome and Landrum for the boys' Class AA crown.

The best race of the day could be the girls Class AAAA meet. Sydney Hazel, The Post and Courier's runner of the year last fall, finished first in last week's lower state qualifier with a time of 19:56.00. Stratford's Jasmine Polite and Danielle Sams claimed the next two spots, while Wando's Brennan McDavid claimed fourth.

In the boys Class AAAA race, Stratford's Steve Rivard finished first in the Lower State and should contend for the crown today.

Bishop England seniors Jeanne Stroud and Sid Houting won girls and boys Lower State individual championships, respectively last week and go for gold today.

The race marks the final meet for Summerville coaches Jim and Eileen Kilbreth. They have 55 combined years in head coaching roles and have won a combined 10 state championships.

The couple also has been named state coach of the year a combined nine times.