In what has become an annual spectacle, the Alabama High School Athletic Association Cross Country Championships will take place on Friday morning, November 10, at Trojan Oaks Golf Course. If 1999 was any indication as to the popularity of this sport in Alabama, the event will be one of the most colorful and exciting ever as 700 elite runners converge on Troy to compete for individual and team titles. Last year more than 5000 spectators attended the event, and a similar crowd is expected this Friday.

"We continue to be the site of choice by the AHSAA for these major championships," said TSU Cross Country Coach and Meet Director Bob Lambert. "The twist this year is that the high school association held sectional qualifying meets, thereby slimming down the fields to just the best runners in the state. We’ve also confirmed that all of the motels in town, as well as Ozark and Enterprise are booked solid for the event. When you combine this with the upcoming football game against McNeese State you pack a heck of a wallop for Troy’s merchants and related businesses. It’s also a chance for us to show off our beautiful campus to a huge group of future collegians."

The first race begins at 9 a.m. near the pro shop with the A-3A girls and will continue until noon when the 6A boys race concludes. A portion of Elm Street near the middle school and McKinley Drive on campus will be blocked off Thursday afternoon and from 7 a m. until noon on Friday to accomodate the course. All races will cover 5000 meters (3.1 miles), with a race starting every 30 minutes from 9 am. until 11:30 a.m. At last count there were more than 75 schools represented in what has become one of the Southeast’s largest meets.

"We count on numerous volunteers from the city of Troy to make this happen, and also get wonderful support from many of the eating estabishment who donate food to our officials. I am really proud to be a part of this," said Larnbert.

Charles Henderson High School will be represented in the boys’ Class 5A finals by senior Scott Stetson, juniors Deandra Carlisle and Bubba Ash, sophomore Bart Wallace and freshman Spencer Salmon