Strong Girls' Teams to Tangle at Bauman/Rovn

Four of the seven top-ranked Class AA girls' cross country teams will race one-another this afternoon at then Bauman/Rovn Invitational hosted by Hopkins High School at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista.

Squaring off in the early-season clash are #2-ranked Lakeville South, winners of last week's Dakota Classic, #3 Eden Prairie, the defending Class AA State champions, #5 Prior Lake, the Irish Invite winners, and #7 Roseville.

In boys' competition, #8 Eastview, winners at St. Olaf's Rolf Melby Invitational, is expected to battle for top placing with #9 Mounds View, led by the state's #2-ranked individual Zack Roozen, and #10 Eden Prairie, winners of the Matterhorn Invite last week.

(#2-ranked Wayzata and #4 Edina will attend the meet but are not running their varsity teams, race officials said.)

Racing on the rolling hills of Gale Woods -- the venuel later this fall for the always-epic 6AA Section Championship -- begins at 3:30 p.m. The boys' varsity race commences at 4:30 p.m. followed by the girl's varsity at 4:55 p.m.

Look to the Down the Backstretch Facebook page, HERE, for results of the meet.