The Weddington Invitational is run on a challenging course that nonetheless has produced fast times (especially in cool weather)
Weekend 5 is a little quiet, in some ways the last weekend of the early season. A few teams are making their full-strength big-meet debut this weekend, and a few others are back in competition after a weekend or two of laying low. Next week marks the beginning of the heart of cross country season, but there are still some important meets to watch this Saturday.
Featured Meet: Weddington Invitational (Weddington HS, Weddington)
Coverage by JasonCreasy
Interest in this meet has grown enough over the past few years that meet management has had to turn away several teams (the campus course has some limits as far as the number of runners that can comfortably compete there). That's a clear sign of a competitive and well-run invitational, and this one definitely hits the mark. This may be the most temperature-dependent course in the state: when the weather is cool it runs so fast that some have even challenged the length of the course, but when it's hot the challenging nature of the terrain rears up and the times slow down substantially. The weather looks pretty good for this weekend, and the field is competitive, so expect some strong performances from this meet. Here are some things to look for:
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The boys competition should be fierce up front, as Weddington and North Lincoln (both contenders in 3A in the new alignment) will also be challenged by R.J. Reynolds, a top-5 team in the 4A ranks. The virtual meet has North Lincoln narrowly winning with 65 points, but the host school and RJR both get 69 points.
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How strong are the Marvin Ridge girls are, who have not really loaded up for an invitational yet (and their one full race as a team was in very hot conditions)? In addition to the Mavericks, three other NCHSAA 3A contenders are in the race: Weddington, North Lincoln, and Charlotte Catholic. This could be an early indication of which teams have the strength to be considered for the top 5 in that classification.
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What kind of shape is David Hager (Woodlawn School) in? He ran 16:02 last fall, and put up 4:19/9:47 in the spring, but hasn't recorded a result yet this season. He certainly has the talent to challenge for the win, but the first race of the year doesn't always go to plan.
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How will freshman Alexa King (Marvin Ridge) handle a race against established high school stars like teammates Allie Castro and Caitlin Potter (North Lincoln) or J.M. Robinson's Natalie Andrejchak? King has a ton of talent, but hasn't been challenged in her two smaller races this season.
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Look for McCann Sheridan (Robinson), who has been running very well so far this season, to make the best of his chance to pay back North Lincoln's Andrew Fea and Ryan Shannon, who beat him at the Providence Invitational earlier this year.
Meet Records: Boys | Girls
Course Records: Boys | Girls
Pam Pack Invitational (Washington HS, Washington)
Though small, this meet is a big deal in Eastern North Carolina, where the travel can be long and there aren't as many major invitationals to choose from. The Greenville-area schools are the largest in that region of the state, and they tend to dominate the team scores, but individuals like Jessica Wallace (First Flight) always have the opportunity to shine at this meet. There isn't a huge amount of data on this course, but it appears to be fairly challenging based on the times recorded on it.
Last Year's Times: Boys | Girls
Knights Crossing Invitational (Green Hill Park, Salem, VA)
This is a large and extremely competitive invitational, run on a challenging course, and that is why one of North Carolina's best teams will be heading up. Broughton will bring its full roster to the starting line for the first time in a 5K this season, and we will finally get to see how strong the Caps are on both sides. We'll also get to see the Spartans of Mount Tabor compete against the strong field of Virginia teams. With NCRunners' neighbor to the North, MileStat, on site, we should get quick updates on the action, as well.
Meet Records: Boys | Girls
Course Records: Boys | Girls
Furman Classic (Furman University, Greenville, SC)
Several North Carolina teams will cross the border yet again this weekend, hoping to continue the success that runners from the Old North State had at the Eye-Opener this past Saturday. This is a new event, a companion to the long-established October invitational held on the same course.
Course Records: Boys | Girls
5-Stage 8-Mile Relay (Hagan Stone Park, Pleasant Garden)
This is a fun event for the teams involved, and also an excellent way to preview parts of the Hagan Stone Park course. Runners compete in groups of 5, and teams can field multiple squads to compete against each other and the other schools.
Asheville Cross Country Carnival (Asheville Christian, Swannanoa)
This is a brand-new meet, and we are excited to find out how much interest it will draw. The Asheville Christian course is rapidly becoming one of the most popular courses in the Asheville area.
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