An afternoon and evening of  races occupies a bunch of high school athletes' time Friday (September 30) at the 10th annual Desert Twilight Cross Country Festival in Casa Grande.

For the third year in a row the venue is Grande Sports Complex in Casa Grande. Twenty races for high schools will occupy 182 schools from 4 p.m through 10 p.m. The marquee races are the last four -- girls championship at 8:25 p.m., boys championship (8:40 p.m.), girls sweepstakes (9 p.m.) and boys sweepstakes (9:25 p.m.). Each will house 25 teams.

The boys sweepstakes races have crowned eight different team champions in the meet's history while girls sweepstakes have been dominated by Desert Vista and Xavier. Desert Vista has won the last  three years and Xavier the four years prior. 

Boys individual sweepstakes champ El Paso Eastwood (TX)'s Daniel Bernal is back to defend his title. Other top-10 returners are Arroyo Grande (CA)'s Christian Ricketts (3rd) and Manuel Olivo-Quinones from Buena (10th). Runners back from Arizona that cracked the top-25 a year ago are Brophy's Luke Mason (13th), Chinle's Santiago Hardy (19th), Perry's Anthony Haren (20th) and Desert Vista's Chris D'Angelo (22nd). 

Seeking her first win in the girls sweepstakes race is Rio Rico standout  Allie Schadler. Schadler, a senior, has finished fourth, fourth and second in her three prior attempts and has the best times in the state again this season. Allie Schadler is a three-time, Division III state champion. Other top runners competing this year are Chandler's Morgan Foster, Xavier's Sarah Carter, Chaparral's Abi Archer and Rio Rico's Samantha Schadler. 

Plenty of Arizona runners were top-25 finishers in last year's girls sweepstakes race -- Xavier's Carter (3rd), Desert Vista's Baylee Jones (5th), Emily Crall (10th), Amanda Davis (11th), and Haley Wolf (24th), Rio Rico's Samantha Schadler (6th), Gila Ridge's Clara Haynes (7th), Chandler's Foster (13th) and Campo Verde's Alaina Kautz (15th).