Weekend Preview: The Top 7 Meets To Watch This Weekend

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

A bit of deja vu will take place at the PIAA Foundation Invitational on Saturday. 

Three athletes who finished third, fourth and fifth at the Red, White and Blue Classic in September will face each other once again this weekend in the gold race.

Mount Lebanon's (PA) Logan St. John Kletter will line up to face Meredith Price of Pine Richland (PA) and Wren Kucler of North Allegheny (PA).

St. John Kletter had the better day a few weeks ago, as she finished third behind Mia Cochran and Irene Riggs. The sophomore earned a 135 speed rating and clocked a time of 17:56 on that course. 

But here, no one can count out Price, who has an opportunity to go after the title. The 10th-place finisher at the PIAA State Cross Country Championship last year finished fourth at the Red, White and Blue Classic with a 18:03 for 5K. 

North Allegheny's Kucler should also be mentioned. She finished fifth behind St. John Kletter and Price in September as she clocked a 18:10. 

Shana Kearney and Claire Zubey, who finished eighth and 11th at last year's state championships, will also line up this weekend.

Having the addition of Kucler to the team helped North Allegheny to be one of the state's top-ranked teams. The Tigers have already proved to be strong over the last several years as it has won three straight titles in AAA. 

* The Red, White and Blue race showcased Pennsylvania's talent

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Similar to the girls, the boys gold race will have a few rematches from the Red, White and Blue Classic. The states' seventh- and eleventh-fastest athletes will go head-to-head. 

North Allegheny (PA) freshman Jack Bertram won the title a few weeks ago, with Brett Kroboth of Peters Township (PA) right on his heels. They both clocked a 15:53 for 5K and earned a 175 speed rating.

Another contender for the title is Cole Adams of York Suburban (PA). The runner finished seventh at last year's state championship and is the second-fastest returner from the meet. He enters with a 15:57 best from the Ben Bloser Bulldog XC Invitational.

Finishing behind Adams in September was Scott Nalepa of North Allegheny (PA). The senior finished third behind Bertram and Kroboth with a 16:09 at the Red, White and Blue Classic. 

Another athlete who will be up in the mix is Grant Kern of York Suburban (PA). Kern finished eleventh at last year's state championship. Kern finished second to Adams at the Ben Bloser last week. 

The North Allegheny boys will look to grab the team title.