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With personal and team bragging rights on the line at Saturday's Montgomery County Cross Country Championship Meet at Gaithersburg, here's a recap of several highlights from the 2008 season thus far.

The name that must be mentioned first is Sherwood standout Solomon Haile. After emigrating from Ethiopia last fall, the senior has exploded onto the distance running scene.

Haile, who trained in the mountains of his native country, did not compete during the cross country season last fall, but won the Maryland 4A State 3200-meter outdoor track title and the Nike Indoor and Outdoor 5000-meter Nationals.

He's certainly made his mark for the Warrior cross country team this year, though. Haile won and broke the record at the Manhattan Invitational Saturday with a time of 12 minutes, 6.61 seconds on the 2.5-mile course at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. He also dominated highly competitive fields at the Oatlands Invitational and Octoberfest Invitational.

"He's a kid who knows how to run," said Sherwood head coach Dan Reeks. "His season won't end with state meets, but he will go to Footlocker Nationals and Nike Nationals. … The first race or two, he ran to the competition. At the invitationals, he picked it up."

As for the team, Sherwood won Division II, as the rest of the team started to gel with Jackson Reams, Jacob Lowe and Nate Toll having solid seasons.

"We are probably right where we expected to be," said Reeks. "It is going to be interesting to qualify for states because the region is so strong."

One of Haile's top competitors is Whitman's Andrew Palmer, who finished second at the 2007 County Championships. On Oct. 3, the junior ran a personal-best time of 15:25 and finished second at the Paul Short Run.

"We have underperformed a little bit as a team except for Andrew," said Whitman head coach Steve Hays. "He's a top runner in county and country. … If we do what we are supposed to do, the boys could finish in top five, but I haven't seen that from them."

On the girls side, Northwest's Britt Eckerstrom will look to continue a long tradition of running excellence.

"Every year, it's the same goal: to win all three [counties, regionals and states]," said Jaguars coach Beth Muehl. "We want to do as best as you can on a particular day, come across the line and give back to tradition. If your best race wins, then that's fantastic. Then if it doesn't, it's all you can ask for."

As for Eckerstrom, the sophomore burst onto the scene last year by finishing third at counties, winning the 4A West Region and finishing second at the 4A State Championship. However, Eckerstrom is not the only dangerous girl Northwest has.

"Alyssa Henshaw has been running very well," said Muehl. "She is battling Britt for first. It's just a remarkable season."

The Damascus girls are also having a stellar season. After winning Division II and four invitationals, the Swarmin' Hornets are right where they expected to be with superb running by Janna Domico, Taylor Colbert, Alex Carroll and Megan Patton.

"They won their division, so yeah, they are doing better," said Damascus head coach Robert Youngblood. "At counties we are looking for at least a top-10 performance, and at regionals we'll try to make sure we qualify to get to states."

The county's lone 3A school in Division I is Bethesda-Chevy Chase, led by senior Adelaide Tousley, who finished third at the 2007 3A State Championship.

"She's been training alone," said Barons head coach Chad Young. "Indoor track season kind of fired her up and she's really out to win everything. She's worked really hard over the summer and is a solid leader this year as well as just solid runner; a great example."

Boys teams to watch: Walter Johnson (5-0), Sherwood (5-0), Blair (5-0), Whitman (1-4)

Girls teams to watch: Northwest (5-0), Damascus (5-0), Blair (5-0), B-CC (2-3)

Boys to watch: Solomon Haile (Sherwood, Sr.), Andrew Palmer (Whitman, Jr.), Nicolas Escobar (Magruder, Jr.)

Girls to watch: Britt Eckerstrom (Northwest, Soph.), Addie Tousley (B-CC, Sr.), Jessie Rubin (Wootton, Jr.), Abby Spitler (Gaithersburg, Jr.)

2007 county team champion (boys): Quince Orchard

2007 county team champion (girls): Churchill

2007 county individual champion (boys): Neal Darmody (Quince Orchard)

2007 county individual champion (girls): Morgane Gay (Whitman)

2007 highest state finisher (boys): Quince Orchard (first, 4A), B-CC (first, 3A)

2007 highest state finisher (girls): Churchill (fourth, 4A)

2007 highest individual finisher (boys): Andrew Palmer (first, 4A)

2007 highest individual finisher (girls): Britt Eckerstrom (fourth, 4A)