Getaway Weekend

We have covered what we are looking for at the Brooks Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa., on Friday. Both at the college and high school levels. Here's a look at the rest of the high school weekend action:

Saturday Meet Previews

Great American Festival [Cary, N.C.]

A few of the best teams from the region will head south to the Raleigh area for the Great American Cross County Festival. Both the Saratoga Springs girls and Christian Brothers Academy boys are favorites to win the Race of Champions on Saturday. Other teams competing from the tri-state include Section 2's Bethlehem and Shaker, Long Island's North Shore and Connecticut's Danbury. Saratoga Springs has won the event three straight years and nine of the 12 times it's been contested.

E.J. Herrmann Invitational [Utica, N.Y.]

Held at Proctor Park, this meet is always one of the biggest and best meets upstate in September. Top teams entered include Holy Names, Beaver River, CNS, Holland Patent, Nanuet, Sauquoit Valley and Westhill-Ludden. This year marks the 70th running of the meet and it just might be the oldest invitational in the state.

McQuaid Invitational [Rochester, N.Y.]

This meets is, without a doubt, among the biggest meets in the country. Held at the famed Genesee Valley Park in Rochester, this year's edition includes nearly 250 teams, including 24 from Canada, 25 from out of state, 81 from Section 5, and 116 N.Y. teams from other sections. All of the best Section 5 teams will be competing — including Rush-Henrietta, Penfield, Canandaigua, Fairport, Honeoye Falls-Lima, Pittsford-Mendon and Brighton. Among the other top New York racing, include Burnt Hills, East Aurora, Geneseo, Hilton, Maple Grove and Shaker. Among the local teams heading north for the weekend are Fordham Prep, North Salem, Pawling and Xavier.

Six Flags Wild Safari [Jackson, N.J.]

This meet continues to grow and grow each passing year as runners get to race in the Safari of Six Flags on a flat, quick course. New York City teams heading down include Bishop Ford, Christ the King, Collegiate, Fordham Prep, MSIT, Packer Collegiate, Poly Prep, Port Richmond, Regis, St. Joseph by the Sea, St. Joseph Hill Academy, Tottenville, Townsend Harris, Trevor Day School and Xaverian.

Other New York teams competing include Ardsley, Berne Knox-Westerlo, Bronxville, Carmel, Clarkstown South, Delhi, Dobbs Ferry, Farmingdale, Fox Lane, Hackley, Harrison, Hastings, Hen Hud, Iona Prep, JJCR, Mahopac, Maria Regina, Massapequa, Newburgh, Our Lady of Mercy, Pawling, Pearl River, Somers, St. John the Baptist, Syosset, Tri-Valley, Ursuline, Valhalla, Valley Stream North, Copiague and Wantagh.

Top New Jersey girls teams entered include Lenape, Mount St. Dominic Academy and Summit. Would you believe that none of the top 10 New Jersey boys teams are competing? Well it's true so expect New Yorkers to bring home some hardware. Race A will match up Collegiate and Syosset and could be the race of the day as Carmel's Eric Holt could help push the pace. The Bronxville girls should be the best team in the meet once again.

Roy Griak Invitational [Falcon Heights, Minn.]

Sure it's one of the biggest college meets in the country, but the Griak is also a huge high school meet in Minnesota. The girls of Warwick Valley — ranked No. 5 in NYS Class A — will head out to compete this year.