Runners take off for the start of Class B boys' race at last year's Frank Kelly Invitational.
The countdown has begun. Less than 50 days until the first meet of the cross-country season. A little more than seven weeks until the gun is fired, and the swarm of runners attack the trails and test out their summer training for the first time.
Below is a list of the upcoming fall X-C schedule for all the major meets on the slate, including some key out-of-state competitions. It kicks off on Sept. 8 with the Vineyard Invitational at Martha's Vineyard. The following week, Sept. 15, teams will have three meets to choose from, the Big Wave Invitational in Apponquet, the Robert MacDougal Invitational in Tewksbury and the Ted Dutkiewicz at East Longmeadow. Among others, the popular Bay State Invitational will take place on Oct. 13 at Northfield Mountain, the same site of the All State Meet, to be held on Nov. 17. Per usual, the divisional state meets will be contested a week before the All States on Nov. 10.
Some key out-of-state meets include the Ocean State Invitational in R.I. (Sept. 21-22), the Bowdoin Classic in N.Y. (Sept. 22), the Great American X-C Festival in N.C. (Oct. 6) and the Manhattan Invitational in N.Y. (Oct. 13).