KACEY GIBSON

SCHOOL: Neshannock.

WHO IS SHE? A sophomore who has been dominating cross country events this season.

LAST WEEK: Gibson won the Slippery Rock Invitational Class AA division Saturday at Cooper's Lake Campground. Her time of 18 minutes, 4 seconds was 1:39 better than the second-place time, and 58 seconds better than the top time in Class AAA.

BETTER THAN BEFORE: Gibson burst on the cross country scene last year as a freshman, finishing second at the WPIAL Class AA championships and third at the PIAA meet.

A MATTER OF TIMING: Gibson's time at the Slippery Rock Invitational would have been good enough for sixth place in the Class AA boys' meet of 219 runners. She would have tied for 35th place out of 186 runners in the Class AAA boys' meet. A few weeks ago at the Big Red Invitational at West Middlesex, Gibson broke the course record with a time of 17:27. Actually, she smashed the record. The old mark was 18:43.

BEATING THE CHAMP: Brentwood's Rachel Erny won WPIAL and PIAA titles last year as a freshman, but she finished in sixth place at the Slippery Rock meet. Could there be a little rivalry developing between Gibson and Erny?

"I don't think so because we don't race against each other that often," Gibson said. "There are a lot of good girls, but I know she's always out there."

FOLLOWING DAD'S FOOTSTEPS: Gibson's father, Fred, is an avid runner. "I guess I got interested in running from him," said Gibson, who has a 4.0 grade point average.

"Then I decided to try track in eighth grade."

-- By Mike White

SCHOOL:Thomas Jefferson.

WHO IS HE? The leading goal-scorer in WPIAL boys' soccer with 18. He also kicks, punts and plays wide receiver for the football team.

THE PAST WEEK: A senior, Browne scored three goals each in victories against Keystone Oaks and West Allegheny and got the Jaguars' only goal Saturday in a 4-1 loss to Montour. Until Tuesday, when Thomas Jefferson lost to Penn Hills, 1-0, in non-section play, Browne had registered at least one goal in every game this season.

CAREER: This is Browne's fourth varsity season, third as a starter. He scored 27 goals each as a sophomore and junior.

A MOVER AND SHAKER: Though he is primarily a forward or midfielder, Browne can be found just about anywhere. A number of opponents double- and triple-team him, a strategy coach Mike Kulish tries to circumvent by allowing Browne to move around and create scoring opportunities.

BROTHERS THREE: The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Browne is the youngest of three brothers who played soccer and football at Thomas Jefferson. The older two are college soccer players: Jon is a junior at Carnegie Mellon, Evan a freshman at Duquesne. Jon scored a Thomas Jefferson-record 58 goals.

-- By Rick Shrum