By ROBERT CESSNAThe Texas A&M cross country program is trying to get the most out of its only home meet of the season. More than 2,500 runners are expected for Saturday's Texas A&M Invitational at the Penberthy Intramural Fields, which will be treated like a minihome football game.
There will be 20 men's teams, 19 women's teams, 66 high school boys teams and 65 high school girls teams.
"You have so few competitions at home," A&M cross country coach Dan Walters said. "Friends and family can come out and watch them run, so it's a really big deal for them. And being here at A&M, the Aggie faithful will come out and watch. The kids really get involved here, and it's a special time for the high schools."
There's no admission charge and A&M is setting up a fun zone for the fans along with a concession stand. Parking will be available in the Reed Arena lots right across from the start and finish lines.
Last year, the meet was moved back a week because of concerns surrounding Hurricane Ike. Saturday's forecast is for a 50-percent chance of thunderstorms, but Walters is hoping for the other 50 percent.
The university men will start running at 7:45 a.m. followed by the women at 8:30 a.m. Seeding high school races will start at 9 a.m. for boys and 9:35 a.m. for girls. There also will be a Class 5A-4A division followed by a Class 3A-A division, then JV races.
The A&M men's team will be trying to win its seventh straight home meet, which is almost like a season-opener.
"The results for the men will be completely different from last weekend," Walters said. "We'll have a whole new group of guys."
A&M used some of its younger runners last week at the Baylor Twilight Invitational, trying to keep the upperclassmen fresh for the long season. The Aggie men showed their great depth with a second-place finish in the 6,000-meter race, trailing only host Baylor.
Team leaders Mitch Bible and Joe Sauvageau, who helped the Aggies win the NCAA South Central Region title last year, will make their season debuts on the 8,000-meter course that will start and finish at Penberthy.
"Both are seniors," Walters said. "Mitch is a fifth-year senior, and Joe is just a fourth-year senior, but they are real crafty veterans. They've been in the fight for many years."
They'll get support from sophomore James Hodges, whom Walters said "put in a great summer," and sophomore Kevin Burnett, who was 12th in the home meet last year. Bible was third last year and Sauvageau fourth. Freshmen Jimmy Welin and C.J. Brown will be making their Aggie debuts. It's also the final home meet for senior Andrew Montes, "so I know it will be a big deal for him," Walters said.
Also running for A&M will be Will Barry, Chad Brown, Wes Caceras, Raul Cetina, Stephen Curry, Micah Dettmer, Graham Northcutt, MacLean O'Donnell, Matt Ross, Ryan Snapp and George Stredny.
The A&M women are led by senior Christina Munoz, who placed seventh at last year's A&M Invitational. The Aggies managed just a fifth-place team finish.
"But we have a whole new crop of freshmen," Walters said. "We have the 5A runner-up in the 3,200 in Tara Usphaw from Southlake Carroll along with Natosha Rogers, Katherine Devlin, who was here last year but didn't run, and Itzel Cetina from Katy Cinco Ranch."
Rogers was named the Rocky Mountain News' Runner of the Year.
Other newcomers tackling the 5,000-meter course will be Lexi Crommett, Shawn Dalglish and Amanda Jenkins.
Senior Sarah Balfour will give the team leadership along with Munoz. Kirsten Brown, Emilie Fischer, Kasey McNorton, Amber Weems and Catherine Wright also will run for A&M's women.
In the high school boys division, No. 3 Klein Oak is the highest-ranked squad among schools in the South Region, according to the Dyestat.com rankings. FEAST Home School of San Antonio is ranked No. 8 in the region while Brenham and Georgetown are receiving Top 10 votes.
For the girls, No. 2 Kingwood tops the field of South Region teams with No. 4 Cedar Park Vista Ridge and No. 7 Belton also included. Others receiving votes in the region include A&M Consolidated, Keller, Magnolia West and Round Rock McNeil.
"Most of the Houston schools are coming, along with schools from Austin and the Dallas area," Walters said. "It's one of the bigger meets of the high school season."
TEXAS A&M INVITATIONAL
Saturday, Penberthy
Times: 7:45 a.m. men; 8:30 a.m. women; 9 a.m. seeded boys; 9:35 a.m. seeded girls; Class 5A-4A and 3A-A and JV to follow.
College teams: Baylor, Houston, Houston Baptist, LSU, Lubbock Christian (men), Monterrey Tech (men), Prairie View A&M, Rice (women), Sam Houston State, SMU (women), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas State, UT-Pan American, UT-San Antonio and Wayland Baptist.
High school teams: A&M Consolidated, Allen Academy, Austin High, Austin Lanier, Austin Reagan (boys), Austin Vandegrift (girls), Awty International, Belton, Brazos Christian, Bremond, Brenham, Bryan, Bryan Collegiate, Bryan Rudder, Buffalo, Caldwell, Cedar Park Vista Ridge, Cleveland Tarkington, Concordia Lutheran, Cy-Ranch, Dickinson (boys), Douglass, Duchesne Academy, Edinburg North, Elgin (boys), FEAST Home School, Fort Bend Baptist, Friendswood Clear Brook, Georgetown, Giddings, Gregory-Portland, Cy-Creek, Cy-Fair, Cy-Falls, Cy-Ridge (girls), Cy-Woods, Langham Creek (boys), Houston Westside, Houston Stratford (girls), Huffman Hargrove, Huntington, Incarnate Word (girls), Katy Seven Lakes, Keller, Klein, Klein Collins, Klein Oak, Leander (girls), Liberty Christian, Lufkin, Lufkin Hudson, Mart, Magnolia West, Montgomery, New Waverly, Onalaska, Pasadena Rayburn (girls), Pflugerville, Pflugerville Hendrickson, Providence Classical, Round Rock McNeil (girls), San Antonio Lights (boys), Second Baptist, Splendora, St. Mary's Hall, Taylor, Pleasant Grove (boys), Ursuline Academy (boys), Woodland College Park (girls), Waterbear Elite (girls), Westbury Christian, Willis.
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