Comment on Officials mulling safest ways to hold cross country meets this season

Cross country is one of the lower-risk sports allowed for interscholastic competition this autumn amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s one of just two fall sports, along with golf, given the OK to stage regional and state championship events. The new challenge is to develop a format that crowns Maine’s top running teams and individuals within the boundaries of safety standards designed to address the coronavirus. “We have our fingers crossed that we’ll have championship meets at the end of October,” said Brewer High School coach Glendon Rand, who is a member of the Maine Principals’ Association cross country committee. That panel is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss postseason options, including how to compete within the state-mandated limit of 100 people for outdoor gatherings. “We’re going to look at how we can run some type of championship events and still fit within the guidelines,” said Mike Bisson, MPA assistant executive director and liaison to its cross country committee.