By Ryan Gallagher

High School athletics is predicated on healthy competition. For those drowning in the jargon of high school Power Rankings and media-induced BCS comas, and desperately salivating for pure and simple competition, look no further than your local cross country course. To date, the 2008 Louisiana Cross Country season has offered 10 weekly doses of wholesome, fierce competition.

In Large School action, the competition on both the boys and girls sides has hungrily crowded around the summit for a chance at the ultimate prize – the State Title. At press time, three different teams on the boy’s side have enjoyed a stay atop the LTFCA Cross Country poll while as many as three girl’s teams have spent time ranked #1 as well. While polls mean little but on paper, these diverse tallies reflect both the opinions of experienced coaches as well as the ever-changing results raced by high school cross country harriers across Louisiana. Below we offer a preview of what’s to come in Natchitoches at the end of November. A caveat: As high school runners have proven year after year, young men and women will accomplish extraordinary feats of which only few knew them to be capable. Humbly, I offer merely a glimpse of what to expect based upon what has taken place over the last few months. As always, we fully expect surprises along the way. The preview:

The fight for the Boy’s 5A State Championship is as wide-open as any state title race in recent memory. Catholic of Baton Rouge, Brother Martin, and Walker have all taken turns as the #1 ranked team in the state, while each school, along with Jesuit, has won a prestigious meet this season. While these four teams harbor aspirations of claiming the state championship, St. Paul-Covington, Lafayette, Fontainebleau, and perennial contender Ruston figure to be in the hunt for the team title as well. Glossing over recent results provides a perspective of what the State Meet might provide. This season has seen Catholic defeat Martin by one point at St. Joes; Martin claim a victory by virtue of a tie over Jesuit at Catholic; Jesuit defeat Martin at Jack Schommer; and Walker defeat all comers at the Episcopal Roundtable Run. Anticipate the fight for the individual title to be just as tight as local harriers from