Cross country season enjoys its unofficial opener in District 2 Saturday morning with the running of the 47th annual Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial High School Cross Country Races at Misericordia University’s Letterkenny Field in Dallas.
Teams have been allowed to compete since Aug. 26, according to Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association rules, but most District 2 schools have continued training, waiting for this event to begin the season.
The Robbins Memorial annually draws the bulk of District 2’s top teams and individuals.
A year ago, Scranton sophomore Brian McCormack and Forest City freshman Katy Korty were the winners in the event, which is organized by the Wyoming Valley Striders.
The event begins with junior high girls racing at 9:30 a.m., followed by junior high boys at 10:10 a.m.
Varsity action starts up with the girls at 10:45, followed by the boys at 11:35.
Of the top 13 girls finishers a year ago, all but one were underclassmen.
Crestwood senior Molly DeMarzo was second and has graduated, but teammates Maggie Kozich and Ella Novelli were third and fourth.
McCormack was followed by another underclassman in the boys race, Riverside’s Daniel Danilovitz.
The emphasis is on individuals with no team scoring.
The Saturday schedule includes two football games.
Delaware Valley is at Harrisburg, the state’s second-ranked Class 6A team, according to PennLive.com, in a 1 p.m. start.
Holy Redeemer hosts a Saturday night game for the second straight week, this time at Wyoming Valley West’s Spartan Stadium when it takes on Holy Cross at 7.
In girls soccer, Valley View (1-0) is at Lakeland (1-1) while Wyoming Valley West and Wallenpaupack are on the road for tournaments.
Wyoming Valley West is at the Montoursville Tournament. Wallenpaupack is in the Red Raider Tournament at Bellefonte.
In boys soccer, the non-league schedule includes Wyoming Area (3-0) at Holy Redeemer (1-0).
In field hockey, Crestwood is playing Mechanicsburg for starters in the Big Spring Tournament.
