Focus is the main word in the Cave Spring Cross Country camp this season, as the Knights' girls and boys team look to make a challenge in the River Ridge District, which has been dominated by both Hidden Valley and Cave Spring in the past.

Girls

The girls squad finished fourth in the district, third in the region and eighth in the state last season, and are looking to make a challenge this season against Hidden Valley and Blacksburg.

"We have a more focused group of girls,"said coach Tommy Maguire, who is starting his ninth year at the helm of both teams.

The top seven performers this year are freshman Katie Fortner (last ran a 19:50 5k as an 8th-grader), junior Melissa Schaefer (ran a 20:09 as a freshman), senior Jamie Phlegar (hardest worker on the team), senior Jessi Fortner (ran a 12:11 in 3200, outdoor last year), sophomore Kerri Dalton (a very hard worker), senior Lauren Stiles (a strong racer) and Andie Van Kerhove (a strong racer).

As for the team's strengths and weaknesses, Maguire added, "More focus as a strength and a small number of girls as a weakness."

"It should be a fun group to coach," noted Maguire.

Boys

Running into the 2010 campaign, the boys are working hard to make a challenge for the top spot, in which Blacksburg is predicted to dominate.

"I predict Blacksburg to win the district and then it could be anyone else," Maguire said.

This year's top seven runners include junior Cody Seymour (finished sixth in the state last year), senior Andrew Smith (an all-district and all-region runner in 2009), freshman Dan Seymour (new to the team), senior Tom Hudson (ran a 17:25 5K last year), senior Michael Conley (new to the team), sophomore Joey Caplingler (strong racer) and junior Mark Mercer (new to the team).

"This year we have a very focused and hard working group of guys," said Maguire. "It should be a fun group to coach."

Both the Cave Spring girls and boys team open their 2010 season this Saturday, Aug. 28, as they participate in the Clash of the Titans at Hidden Valley. The action starts at 8:30 a.m.