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Midwest Invitational field largest ever

The largest field ever assembled will compete in Saturday morning's Midwest Invitational at Blackhawk Golf Course.

Teams from four states will represent more than 40 schools in the 75th running of the nation's oldest high school cross country meet.

"This is as good of a field as we've ever had for both the boys and the girls," Craig co-head coach Brian Lawton said. "There are 13 ranked boys teams from Wisconsin competing, along with nine ranked girls teams from Wisconsin. And when you throw in the talent from the likes of Houston MacArthur (Texas), Dubuque Senior (Iowa) and Lake Park (Ill.), this field is as good as you'll see all season."

Hartland Arrowhead is the defending boys champion, while Neenah is back to defend its girls crown. Madison La Follette's Chandler Diffee, the 2011 Division 1 cross country champion, looks to repeat in the boys 5,000-meter race.

Janesville's list of boys Midwest winners features course record-holder and current Duke University runner and 2012 Craig graduate Tommy Meister (2010) and Josh Lund (2005, '06), along with Parker's Eric Stabb in 1985 and Paul Licary in 1992.

Craig's Jessica Berlowski (1992), Rebekah Bea (1993) and Kristen Goelzer (1990) won the girls race, along with Parker's Marcie Schroeder (1986). Janesville resident Steve Sippy won the boys race in 1958, competing for Milwaukee Pulaski.

Berlowski is now Jessica Lawton and Craig's co-head coach.

Midwest Invitational

-- What: 75th Midwest Invitational cross country meet.

-- Where: Blackhawk Golf Course, Janesville.

-- When: Saturday (Freshman-sophomore girls, 9:15 a.m.; Freshman-sophomore boys, 9:50 a.m.; Varsity girls, 10:25 a.m.; Varsity boys, 11 a.m..

-- Defending champions: Hartland Arrowhead (boys); Neenah (girls).

-- Teams participating: Boys—Albany, Beaver Dam, Beloit Memorial, Darlington, Delavan-Darien, Dodgeville-Mineral Point, Dubuque Senior (Iowa), Elkhorn, Fond du Lac, Fort Atkinson, Hartland Arrowhead, Houston MacArthur (Texas), Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, La Crosse Logan, Lake Park (Ill.), Madison La Follette, Madison Memorial, Madison West, Marquette University, Mequon Homestaed, Middleton, Milton, Monona Grove, Monroe, Mount Horeb, Mukwonago, Neenah, Oconomowoc, Oregon, Platteville, Rockford Guilford (Ill.), Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waukesha Catholic Memorial, Waunakee Wauwatosa East, West Bend West, Whitewater, Whitnall, Wisconsin Lutheran; Girls—Albany, Beaver Dam, Beloit Memorial, Darlington, DeForest, Delavan-Darien, Dodgeville-Mineral Point, Dubuque Senior, Elkhorn, Fond du Lac, Fort Atkinson, Hartland Arrowhead, Houston MacArthur, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, La Crosse Logan, Madison

La Follette, Madison Memorial, Madison West, Middleton, Oconomowoc, Milton, Monona Grove, Monroe, Mount Horeb, Mukwonago, Neenah, Oregon, Platteville, Rockford Guilford, University Lake School, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee, Westby, Whitewater, Whitnall, Wisconsin Lutheran, Wauwatosa West.