Weekend Preview: The Top 7 Meets To Watch This Weekend

INDEX:

Roy Griak - Carlisle - Desert Twilight - PIAA Foundation - Bowdoin - McNeil - Wingfoot XC Classic

Desert Twilight XC Festival

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When: September 24

Where: Links Golf Club -- Queen Creek, Arizona

Last year's Desert Twilight was something to remember.

This weekend, it will be a similar story.

Isaiah Givens of Pasadena (CA) High School enters after winning the Cool Breeze Evening Invitational on Sept. 3 with a time of 14:08 for three miles. That marked a 50-second improvement from the same meet in 2019.

After the win last weekend at Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, the Desert Vista (AZ) boys look to be a team in the hunt for a title. It won't be an easy win, though, as the Niwot boys will be in full strength.

The girls race will also showcase talent.

Lauren Ping of Desert Vista (AZ) looks strong in her junior season. She finished sixth at Woodbridge and won the Peaks Invitational with a 157 speed rating. This season, Ping enters the meet as the top returner; she was the runner-up last season with a time of 16:57.20. 

Flagstaff's (AZ) Mia Hall, who was also in the sweepstakes race last year, was fifth in 2020 before going on to win the AIA State Division 2 Cross Country Championships. 

Another girl who is in contention for the sweepstakes title is sophomore Bethany Michalak of Air Academy (CO). Michalak enters with victories from the Pre-State Cheyenne Mountain Stampede and at the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational. She earned a 143 and a 146 speed rating for these performances.

Michalak will face Niwot's (CO) Mia Prok for the first time this year. Michalak and Prok finished first and second, respectively, at the Colorado Class 4A State Cross Country Championships last season.

IMG Academy's (FL) Carly McNatt will make her 2021 cross country season debut. The junior finished ninth at last year's competition. She continued her season with a 26th-place finish at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions and 15th at the AAU Cross Country Championships. 

Arapahoe (CO) has been a commanding team this season, too. Over the last several weeks, the squad has won all three of its meets, including the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational.