Jared Miller

Check out the Virginia boys' all-time performances at McAlpine Park.

Here are the all-time best times from Sugar Hollow

Strasburg sophomore Katlyn Ayers figured to be the third best runner in the Group A classification coming into the season but injuries to defending champion and course record holder Megan Marsico of Glenvar and Natalie Young of George Mason have opened the door of opportunity for Ayers to win her first state title. She has went undefeated in all of her races this season and another first place finish should be in the works for her on Saturday at Great Meadow.

At the Clash With The Titans, VA #1 ranked Hidden Valley girls will open their season in their home invitational against teams in the Roanoke Valley area. Hidden Valley should win big if all five of their top 5 returnees are racing led by 2008 Group AA state runner-up Annie LeHardy. LeHardy won last year's inaugural Clash With The Titans with a one second victory over teammate Mary Catherine Sowder in 20:45.   The top three boys teams coming into the meet feature a strong #1 runner each who will be battling for first individually on Saturday in Group AA #5 ranked Andy Eddleton of Christiansburg, Group A #3 ranked Jared Miller of Radford, and Group AA #14 ranked Cody Seymour of Cave Spring.

Nine of the top 15 All-State finishers from last year's Group A race have graduated including five of the top six finishers. Radford's Jared Miller was the best among the returnees in championship season last fall with a fourth place finish in the state race (16:31) and ran a personal best of 16:27 at Foot Locker South.   Miller was not as strong in the track season though with Virginia's Brian Brillhart (pictured by Ted Plunkett) and Clarke County's Adam Owens running the best among returnees this past spring with Brillhart and Owens both running just under 10 minutes for 3200 meters. Floyd County's Andrew Grubb (4:37 1600, 10:14 3200) also has continued to improve from last fall and Owens at Clarke County has plenty of teammates who will be running close with him to contend for the team's #1 spot vacated by 2008 state cross country champion Ben Veilleux.