The increasingly popular, highly competitive and just plain fun Desert Twilight Cross Country Festival is ready to roll again on Friday Sept. 30 for the fifth straight year.

This unique cross country invitational features many of its races after dark, includes the top teams and runners from around the state an some out of state. It comes with a glow-in-the-dark quality on a partially lit course at Toka Sticks Golf Course in southeast Mesa. And it has races for everyone.

Races begin with lower levels at 4:15 p.m. and those continue through early evening to set the stage for the girls and boys championship races at 8:20 p.m. and 8:35 p.m. Those are followed by the girls Milesplit Sweepstakes race at 9 p.m. and the boys Sole Sports Sweepstakes race at 9:25 p.m.

The girls championship race pits 25 teams not quite among the elite to run against each other. That honor goes to teams selected for the sweepstakes races that finish the evening. Some teams chosen for the sweepstakes races don't have outstanding teams, but possess an elite runner or two allowing them to compete with the top individuals from the elite teams.

Teams entered in the girls championship race: Cactus Shadows, Canyon del Oro, Catalina Foothills, Chaparral, Deer Valley, Flagstaff, Hamilton, Marana Mountain View, Mingus, Mountain Pointe, North Canyon, Palo Verde, Queen Creek, Red Mountain, Rincon, Saguaro, Salpointe, Sandra Day O'Connor, Sunrise Mountain, Tempe and Tuba City. The boys championship field: Arizona Lutheran, Arroyo Grande, Calif., Cactus Shadows, Central, Chaparral, Deer Valley, Desert Edge, Dobson, Flagstaff, Greenway, Marana Mountain View, Mesquite, Mountain Pointe, Queen Creek, Red Mountain, Salpointe, Shadow Mountain, Sunrise Mountain, St. Augustine Catholic.

Teams chosen for the girls Milesplit sweepstakes: Arbor View, Nev.; Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Catalina Foothills, Chinle, Cibola, Corona del Sol, Desert Mountain, Desert Vista, Highland, Hopi, Ironwood Ridge, Los Alamos, N.M.; Mesa Mountain View, Mesquite, Mountain Brook, Ala.; Notre Dame Prep, Perry, Rio Rancho, N.M.; Rio Rico, Sahuaro and Xavier.  The boys Sole Sport sweepstakes field: Boulder Creek, Brophy Prep, Canyon del Oro, Centennial HS, Nev.; Chinle, Cibola, Corona del Sol, Desert Mountain, Desert Vista, Highland, Hopi, Ironwood Ridge, Los Alamos, N.M.; Maricopa, McClintock, Mesa Mountain View, Mingus, Mountain Brook, Ala.; Mountain Ridge, North Canyon, Perry, Prescott, Rincon, Rio Rancho, N.M.; Rio Rico, Sabino, Saguaro, Sandra Day O'Connor and Tuba City.

Last year's girls sweepstakes champ was Xavier's Sarah Fakler, who beat Chinle's Rolando Jumbo by 10 seconds. Last year's boys sweepstakes champ was Tuba City's Billy Orman. Orman and the next six finishers a year agoi were seniors. The top finishing returning boys' runner is Cibola's Bernie Montoya (8th last year).

Toka Sticks Golf Course is located at 6910 East Williams Field Road just east of the intersection of Power and Williams Field roads in Mesa.