Cross country postseason warm-up kicks off Saturday

BAZETTA -- In four weeks the state cross country meet will be held at Scioto Downs in Columbus. Before that, there are three steps for area runners.
The first is Saturday at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds where the Sim Earich Meet will feature boys and girls from 51 schools in 12 races.
The top four schools in boys Division I are returning, including defending champ Walsh Jesuit. Magnificat is coming back to defend its Div. I girls title.
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary was the Div. II boys champ in 2000 and Mooney placed second. The Cardinals' Joe Taylor (16:37) finished fifth in the 5000 run.
Up front: The Girard High girls, Suburban League champs, and Mooney will challenge in the Div. II race, with the Cardinals' Val Zajac (20:31) expected to contend.
Maplewood, McDonald and Lisbon should be among the contenders for laurels in the boys Div. III run. David Pykare (16:48) and Paul Moser (16:51) of the Rockets will be tough to beat.
In the Div. III girls race, McDonald and Pymatuning Valley will compete in a strong field of runners. Sisters Jen and Jessica Wenhold of the Blue Devils, Katrina Brickner of Lisbon and Erin Daugherty of Maplewood should make it an interesting race to watch.