Winning a race one week doesn't guarantee a cross country runner will win again seven days later, even if the events are on the same course.

Hampton's Elaina Balouris and North Allegheny's Ryan Gil understand that, but both said winning at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association championships last week was, if nothing else, a nice confidence booster.

Both are expected to be in the hunt for individual honors at the WPIAL championships today at Cooper's Lake Campground near Slippery Rock. The fact they won on the same 3.1-mile course a week ago doesn't mean much ... or does it?

"This is probably my favorite course," said Gil, a junior. "It's good for me the way it rolls and with that flat finish."

"I do like this course," said Balouris, a senior. "It runs quickly. It takes a lot of mental toughness with everybody lining the finish and screaming for you ... it gets you excited."

The WPIAL championships will be today at Cooper's Lake. The Class AA girls' race is 1:45 p.m. with the Class AAA girls' race at 2:30 p.m. The Class AA boys' race is 3:15 p.m. with the Class AAAA boys' race at 4 p.m.

The top four teams in each race advance to the PIAA meet Nov. 7 in Hershey. Also, the top 20 finishers who are not members of one of those four teams in each race qualify for the PIAA championships.

Balouris is expected to be challenged by Norwin's Jenna Gigliotti in the Class AAA girls' race. Margo Malone of North Hills and Marissa Polk of Oakland Catholic should also be in the hunt.

As for the boys, Mt. Lebanon's Rad Gunzenhauser, Joe Kush and Juris Silenieks of North Hills, Mike Cecala of Baldwin and Connor Weis of Fox Chapel are expected to be with Gil in the lead pack.

There is no definitive favorite in either Class AAA race. Gunzenhauser got the best of Gil at the Central Catholic Invitational earlier this month. Balouris has beaten Gigliotti twice, but Gigliotti was second at the WPIAL championships a year ago.

Balouris won the Tri-State Coaches meet in 18 minutes, 47 seconds, pulling away from Malone and Polk, who was the early leader, the second half of the race. Gigliotti did not compete last week.

"I think it was a good practice run for me whether or not [Gigliotti] was here. I ran my hardest and I had great competition with the Malone sisters and the Oakland Catholic girl."

Early in the race Balouris was worried she might not be able to catch Polk, who got off to a fast start.

"I was kind of panicked at the beginning," she said. "I kept telling myself that I'd reel them in."

Hampton coach Tom Tobin liked the way Balouris handled the race. She stayed with her plan and eventually took the lead. He said it was also good for Balouris to return to a racing mode after two-and-half weeks of just training.

"It's nice to get back in the flow again, for her to feel those pre-race jitters," he said. "Her strength is her strength. She has enough speed to be competitive but she's a natural distance runner."

Tobin was also pleased with Balouris' time, considering she had not tapered off for the Tri-State Coaches race. And he said the Cooper's Lake course sets up well for Balouris.

"You've got that first [big] hill, which is the great equalizer and makes everybody honest," he said. "The race really begins at the top of the hill.

"This course flows really nice and plays to her strength. She has enough speed that at the finish, if she is in contention, she has as much of a chance as anyone else."

Gil held off Gunzenhauser over the final three-quarters of a mile to finish in 15:38 at the Tri-State Coaches meet. Gunzenhauser was 12 seconds back with Kush third at 16:02.

Gunzenhauser pulled even with Gil with about 1,000 meters to go but that's when Gil put on a surge.

"If it comes down to it, I'm pretty confident in my speed," Gil said. "[Winning] helps me get some momentum, but when next week [today] comes, it's anybody's race."

Although Gil, like Balouris, wants to finish first today, that's not his primary focus. He said he is more concerned with helping North Allegheny win the Class AAA team title. The Tigers are expected to be pushed by Baldwin and perhaps North Hills.

"The main thing is the team," Gil said. "We've won it the past four years, so that's definitely a big deal."

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