While the Billings Invitational Cross Country Meet traditionally features a large field of teams, when the runners lineup at Amend Park on Friday for the season-opening event there will be excitement for the first competition of the year and anticipation in getting to learn the state meet venue.That’s because with the all-class state cross country meet scheduled for Amend Park in Billings on Oct. 24, many teams expressed an interest in competing in the Magic City on opening weekend.
Billings Public Schools activities director Mark Sulser said the Billings Invite “has more than doubled in size because we will have state cross country here in October.” This year, 58 teams are scheduled to compete at the Billings Invite on Friday.
The teams entered to compete at the Billings Invite along with Senior, Skyview, and West include Baker, Belgrade, Belt, Big Timber, Bozeman, Bozeman Gallatin, Broadus, Butte, Cascade, Cody (Wyoming), Colstrip, Columbus, Corvallis, Deer Lodge, Drummond, Ennis, Glasgow, Hamilton, Hardin, Harlem, Harrison, Havre, Hays-Lodgepole, Helena, Helena Capital, Highwood, Hobson-Moore, Huntley Project, Jefferson, Lame Deer, Laurel, Lewistown, Lockwood, Lodge Grass, Lovell (Wyoming), Malta, Manhattan, Manhattan Christian, Melstone, Miles City, Missoula Big Sky, Missoula Sentinel, Northern Cheyenne, Park City, Plenty Coups, Poplar, Powell (Wyoming), Red Lodge, Roberts, Roundup, Townsend, Shepherd, Sidney, St. Labre, and Three Forks.
The varsity boys will begin the competition at noon, followed by the JV boys at 12:25 p.m. The varsity girls are scheduled to start at 12:50 p.m. and the JV girls at 1:25 p.m.
