By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Here are 10 storylines to keep an eye on Friday, Sept. 28 at the 12th Desert Twilight Festival at Grande Sports World Complex in Casa Grande, Ariz.:

Can Boise girls go back to back?

Boise ID produced one of the most impressive victories of the season Saturday by securing an 85-95 victory in their home state over Great Oak CA at the Bob Firman Invitational.

Now, after conquering the best in California and several elite programs in the Northwest, the Braves are looking to square off with several top teams in the Southwest in the girls sweepstakes race.

Maggie Liebich, Rosina Machu, Eve Jensen, Logan Smith and Molly Elliott all ran 19:00 or better for Boise in the Bob Firman elite race on a challenging 5-kilometer course at Eagle Island State Park in Idaho, and should benefit from a fast layout in Casa Grande in pursuit of another notable invitational victory.

Should Boise prevail against Colorado powers Cherokee Trail, Niwot and Peak to Peak, along with reigning champion Chandler AZ and four-time winner Xavier Prep AZ, the Braves would be the first program from outside Arizona to win the girls sweepstakes title in meet history.

Another superb showdown

Kashon Harrison of Kirtland Central NM and Cole Sprout of Valor Christian CO produced one of the best battles in meet history in last year’s boys sweepstakes race, with the All-Americans becoming the sixth and seventh athletes to run under 15 minutes at the annual 5-kilometer event.

Harrison prevailed by a 14:48.5 to 14:48.6 margin against Sprout for the second- and third-fastest times in meet history, trailing only the 14:45.6 run by Daniel Bernal of El Paso Eastwood TX in 2016.

Harrison went on to place 14th at Foot Locker Nationals, with Sprout finishing 21st at Nike Cross Nationals.

Both athletes are unbeaten this year, along with Niwot CO junior Cruz Culpepper, setting the stage for a potential repeat of 2014, when three athletes achieved sub-15 efforts under the lights. Culpepper will also look to lead Niwot to the team title after a third-place finish last year behind Desert Vista AZ and Eastwood.

Harrison became the first New Mexico male athlete to secure an individual sweepstakes victory. Sprout or Culpepper would become the first Colorado male runner to win a sweepstakes crown.

Katie Rainsberger of Air Academy CO captured back-to-back girls sweepstakes championships in 2014 and 2015.

Colorado girls primed to steal sweepstakes spotlight

For the past three years, Colorado programs have placed second in the girls sweepstakes race, with Durango taking runner-up last season after back-to-back performances by Air Academy in 2015 and 2016.

After 11 consecutive girls team victories by Arizona schools, Colorado could be primed to break through, with Cherokee Trail, Niwot and Peak to Peak looking to upstage not only local powers Chandler and Xavier Prep, but also Boise ID.

Niwot finished third and Cherokee Trail placed 10th in the sweepstakes race last year. Peak to Peak took third in its last appearance in 2016.

It is another significant opportunity for Cherokee Trail (5A), Niwot (4A) and Peak to Peak (3A) to square off head to head in a preview of the Nike Southwest Regional meet Nov. 17, when Mountain Vista (5A) and Battle Mountain (4A) will also be included.

Cherokee Trail placed second Sept. 8 at the Liberty Bell Invitational, with Niwot taking third and Peak to Peak placing fifth.

Maggie Smith, Samrawit Dishon, Taylor James, Eva Klingbeil and Joelle McDonald swept the top five spots Saturday for Niwot with a 29-second spread at the Pat Patten Invitational.

Cherokee Trail had all five scorers in the top 20 on Friday at the Dave Sanders Invitational to place second by a 35-52 margin to Mountain Vista, one of the leading contenders to capture the NXR Southwest crown.

Peak to Peak boasts one of the most talented trios in the country in Quinn McConnell, Anna Shults and Tiana Bradfield.

Air Academy junior Tatum Miller placed fourth last year in 17:44.8 and ninth as a freshman in 17:42.2, yet another Colorado threat to challenge up front.

Arizona stars look to ascend to the next level

Arizona state champions Leo Daschbach of Highland and Rylan Stubbs of Campo Verde both placed in the top 25 in last year’s boys sweepstakes race, but are looking for big improvements in one of the strongest fields in meet history.

Daschbach, the reigning Division 1 champ, is unbeaten in three races this season. He clocked 15:30 at last year’s meet, showcasing his development after clocking 17:21.4 in 2016.

Stubbs, last year’s Division 2 winner, produced a sub-14:30 3-mile effort for the second straight year at the Woodbridge Classic. He ran 15:25 in last year’s sweepstakes, lowering his top time at Casa Grande from 15:56.3 as a sophomore.

Desert Vista AZ senior Lee Nasewytewa looks to continue his momentum after clocking 14:25.9 to finish 14th in the Woodbridge sweepstakes Sept. 15.

Nasewytewa didn’t compete in the Desert Twilight sweepstakes last year, but won the large school open race in 16:09. He lowered his personal best at Casa Grande to 16:00 at the Nike Southwest Regional meet in November.

Schadler seeks elite company

Samantha Schadler already helped Rio Rico AZ become the only school with three girls individual champions in meet history with her sweepstakes victory last year, joining older sister Allie Schadler in 2016 and Aeoleone Bristow in 2008.

The reigning Arizona Division 3 state champion looks to make history again by pursuing a sweepstakes repeat, following her victory last year in 17:15.8.

If Schadler can secure back-to-back victories, she would join Katie Rainsberger of Air Academy CO (2014-15) and Sarah Fakler of Xavier Prep AZ (2010-12) as the only female athletes to win multiple Desert Twilight sweepstakes championships.

Schadler bounced back following an injury-plagued track season to finish sixth Sept. 15 at the Woodbridge Classic, clocking 16:14.8 in the 3-mile sweepstakes race.

Schadler expects to receive a significant challenge from Peak to Peak CO senior Quinn McConnell, Air Academy CO junior Tatum Miller, along with Boise ID senior Maggie Liebich and fellow Arizona state champions Morgan Foster of Chandler and Abi Archer of Chaparral.

Texas talents ready to test themselves again

El Paso Eastwood TX has established itself as one of the most successful teams in meet history, with four consecutive top-five boys sweepstakes finishes, including a title in 2016.

In addition, Daniel Bernal won back-to-back individual championships in 2015-16, with Anthony Molina and Gabriel Armijo both placing in the top 10 last year for the Troopers.

Junior Elias Perez looks to guide Eastwood to another strong team performance in this year’s sweepstakes, but the biggest presence from a Texas standout could be from El Paso Hanks junior Michael Abeyta, who finished fifth last year in 15:07.3.

Four El Paso programs are scheduled to compete in the boys sweepstakes, with Cathedral and Franklin joining Eastwood and Franklin.

First impressions

The battle for the Arizona Division 1 girls championship is expected to be one of the most competitive of any division in the state come November.

Reigning champion Chandler and perennial power Xavier Prep will square off for the first time this season, not only looking to extend Arizona’s streak to 12 consecutive girls team sweepstakes victories, but also trying to secure early bragging rights on the road to the state final.

Xavier Prep finished sixth Sept. 15 in the girls sweepstakes race at the Woodbridge Classic.

Chandler won the Ojo Rojo Invitational title Sept. 15, but has yet to face the quality of field that it will encounter in the sweepstakes race.

With Chaparral returning to Division 1 following a two-year stint in Division 2, it will also mark the first time that the Firebirds will face both Chandler and Xavier Prep in the same race this season.

Chaparral senior Abi Archer, the reigning Division 2 state champion, will compete against Chandler senior Morgan Foster in a preview of the leading contenders for the Division 1 state individual title.

If Chandler can secure another sweepstakes title, the Wolves would join Xavier Prep and Desert Vista – both four-time winners – with multiple Desert Twilight team championships.

Fabulous freshmen

Five of the country’s most talented ninth-graders will be competing in the girls sweepstakes race with Samantha Blair of Eagle Valley CO, Cameron McConnell of Cherokee Trail CO, Lanie Szuch of Evergreen CO, Aspen Fulbright of Pueblo West CO and Logan Smith of Boise ID.

Taylor James of Niwot CO was the top freshman in last year’s sweepstakes, placing 10th in 18:07.4.

Another talented freshman from last year’s sweepstakes race, Cami Merickel, has transferred from Xavier Prep to Pinnacle. Merickel won her season debut Saturday for Pinnacle at the Doug Conley Invitational in 18:31.

Since the meet switched venues from Toka Sticks Golf Course to the Casa Grande layout in 2014, Brooklyn Christofis of Desert Vista boasts the fastest freshman girls time, clocking 17:38.9 two years ago.

Small schools, big opportunities

St. Michael Indian junior Ali Upshaw, runner-up in last year’s Arizona Division 4 state final, will again challenge herself by competing in the sweepstakes race after finishing 14th last season in 18:13.2.

Juniors Jordan Black of North Phoenix Prep and Douglas Adam Whitehead of Arete Prep Academy, who placed fifth and sixth last season in Arizona Division 4, are entered in the boys sweepstakes race.

Casteel, who placed sixth in last year’s Arizona Division 3 final, is also prepared to test itself in the boys sweepstakes race following a ninth-place result in last year’s championship race.

Sophomores Derek Baca and Dayton Carlson took the top two spots for Casteel in a white division varsity race Sept. 14 at the Woodbridge Classic.

Rivalry renewed

Although Cherry Creek CO, which swept both the boys and girls championship team titles last season, is not returning to compete Friday, there are still several intriguing showdowns scheduled to take place in the championship races.

Perhaps none more so than the battle among Arizona Division 4 boys rivals Northland Prep and Hopi.

Northland Prep snapped Hopi’s national record of 27 consecutive state championships in November with a 57-68 victory.

In their only meeting this season Sept. 15 at the Four Corners Invitational, Northland Prep placed second behind Division 2 champion Flagstaff, but finished 47 points ahead of sixth-place Hopi.

Mountain Ridge AZ returns after placing second in the boys championship race last year. Fellow Arizona programs Catalina Foothills, Hopi and Red Mountain are all entered in the boys championship race after placing in the top five last year.

Ganado AZ is the top returning team entered in the girls championship race following a fourth-place finish last year.

Coconino AZ, which finished third in last year’s championship race, moved up to the sweepstakes race. Senior Maggie Gibbs of Cactus AZ and junior Grace Driskill of Rincon University AZ are also elevating to the sweepstakes race after placing third and fourth in last year’s championship race.