WPIAL approves site, schedule change for cross country championships
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Monday, February 17, 2020 | 11:16 PM
Knoch’s Sammy Jo Barnes (right) runs at the front of the pack during the WPIAL Class AA championship race Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, at California University.
The WPIAL cross country championships will return to Cal (Pa.) next fall with an overhaul to the race schedule.
The WPIAL board approved using the university site Monday with the caveat that the event will alternate girls and boys races with medals awarded after each classification, said WPIAL associate executive director Amy Scheuneman.
The meet is Oct. 29.
In years past, the WPIAL event started with three girls races and finished with three boys races. Awards weren’t distributed until after all six races were complete, forcing teams to wait unnecessarily.
This will be the third year that Cal (Pa.) has hosted the WPIAL cross country championships. The WPIAL was forced to find a new site in 2018 after Cooper’s Lake Campground decided it no longer would host high school meets.
Scheuneman said the WPIAL was pleased with its experiences at Cal.
“People don’t realize how big of an event that is,” Scheuneman said. “There are not a lot of places to host that. They did a great job.”
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
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