Preview: State cross country

Saturday at Sun Willows Golf Course, Pasco

2B/1B girls, 10 a.m.

Last year’s champion: NW Christian (Lacey). Favorites: NW Christian (Lacey), NW Christian (Colbert). Top returnees: Lisa Vandenburg (third in state last year), NWC (Colbert); Mikel Elliott, White Pass (fourth); BreAnna Romerdahl, Mt. Rainier Lutheran (fifth). Also locally, Morgan Willson, Colfax .

Outlook: Sophomore Willson will contend for individual honors. Vandenburg has finished first, second and third successively. NWC and St. George’s have depth.

1A girls, 10:30 a.m.

Last year’s champion: King’s. Favorites: King’s, Chelan, La Center. Top returnees: Maddie Meyers, Northwest (defending champion); Gaby Guillen, Chelan (fourth); Kim Barry, Lake Roosevelt (fifth); Adele Eslinger, King’s (sixth). Others locally, Makenzie DeRuyter, Freeman (13th); Evangeline Rehwaldt, Lakeside (14th)

Outlook: All of last year’s top four have depth. It depends on which team brings it’s “A” game and remains healthiest.

2A girls, 11 a.m.

Last year’s champion: Sehome. Favorites: Cedarcrest, Sehome, Kingston. Top returnees: Ruby Roberts, (last year’s runner-up) and Marina Roberts, Kingston; Allison Cutting, Sequim (defending champion). Locally, Sanne Holland, Cheney; Jess Mildes, Riverside (18th); Jessica Duenich, Deer Park (31st).

Outlook: District champion DP finished fifth in state and Riverside sixth last year. GNL dual meet champion Cheney, led by frosh Holland, could intrude.

2B/1B boys, 11:30 p.m.

Last year’s champion: NW Christian (Lacey). Favorites: NW Christian (Lacey), Republic. Top returnees: Justin Holden, NWC (third last year); Ethan Perry, White Pass (sixth); Nik Michel, Republic (seventh).

Outlook: The race should be between NWC-Lacey and Republic. NWC-Colbert, St. George’s, Davenport and Reardan are all in field.

1A boys, noon

Last year’s champion: Lakeside. Favorites: Port Townsend, Nooksack Valley. Top returnees: Bereket Piatt, Port Townsend (second last year); Max LaBerge, Charles Wright Academy (fifth). Locally, Ryan Rojeski and Colton Berry, Lakeside; Nic Cherrington and Ben Mega, Freeman.

Outlook: The defending champion Eagles, who finished second to Freeman in the Northeast A League, were ready to roll with a 1-2 finish to win district.

3A girls, 12:30 p.m.

Last year’s champion: Mercer Island. Favorites: Glacier Peak, Shadle Park, WV-Yakima. Top returnees: Andrea Nelson, Shadle (defending champion); Lindsay Benster, Mercer Island (third); Sarah Bobbe, Columbia River (fourth); Tansey Lystad, Juanita (fifth); Erin Hegarty, Hanford (sixth). Also locally, freshmen Kendra Weitz, Shadle; and Katie Knight, North Central.

Outlook: At last the showdown between the nationally ranked Highlanders and Glacier Peak, led by a pair of freshmen. The race is loaded with returning individual talent, some of whom could factor in the team outcome.

4A girls, 1 p.m.

Last year’s champion: Eastlake by one point over Gig Harbor. Favorites: Gig Harbor, Eastlake, Stanwood, Tahoma. Top returnees: Shannon Moskowitz, Central Kitsap (fourth). Locally, Baylee Mires, Mead; Allison Keenan, Lewis and Clark (31st); Alicia Doohan, Gonzaga Prep (32nd); and Jamie Lambie, Central Valley, 35th.

Outlook: Gig Harbor is favored, but Eastlake and Stanwood had impressive district races. New individuals will surface and Mires can run with the best.

2A boys, 1:30 p.m.

Last year’s champion: Sehome. Favorites: Burlington-Edison, Sehome, Squalicum. Top returnees: Todd Jackson, Elma (third last year); Scott Carlyle, Sehome (fourth); Tyler Williams, B-E (eighth). Locally, Corbin Williamson, Riverside; Colton Hastings and Ned Fischer, Colville.

Outlook: District 1, as usual is loaded. Colville will chase a team trophy. Deer Park is making its first state trip in 33 years.

3A boys, 2 p.m.

Last year’s champion: North Central. Favorites: NC, Bishop Blanchet, Bellevue. Top returnees: Ben Johnston, NC (fourth); Drew O’Donoghue-McDonald, Seattle Prep (seventh); Allan Schroeder, Mt. Spokane (ninth); Alexander Avila, NC (11th); Nathan Weitz, Shadle Park (13th); Casey Adams, NC, 24th.

Outlook: Despite graduating three seniors who placed among the state’s top five, NC hasn’t missed a beat. Nearly the entire Mt. Spokane lineup is back from last year’s sixth-place state finish.

4A boys, 2:30 p.m.

Last year’s champion: Mead. Favorites: Jackson, Ferris. Top returnees: Mack Young, Redmond, and Shane Moskowitz, Central Kitsap (first and second last year); Adam Thorne, Ferris (eighth); Bryan Simison, Eisenhower (10th). Also locally, freshman Andrew Gardner, Mead; Kenji Bierig, LC (36th).

Outlook: The entire Ferris team returns. Alex Kimsey, Perry Domini, Tim Colliton and Justin Zimmerman joined Thorne among the top 16 in regional with times ranging from 15:44 to 16:10. The GSL seeks to defend its turf.