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For county runners who have hopes and dreams of competing in the 2009 state cross country championships, qualifying time has finally arrived.

County teams will participate in four regional championship meets today. The 4A South Region race is at 3 p.m. at Fort Washington Park. The region includes Bladensburg, Bowie, Charles H. Flowers, Henry A. Wise, DuVal, Eleanor Roosevelt, High Point, Laurel, Northwestern, Oxon Hill, Parkdale and Suitland.

Participating in the 3A South Region meet today at 3 p.m. at Oak Ridge Park in Hughesville will be Largo, Crossland, Friendly and Potomac. County teams at the 2A South Region meet today at 3 p.m. at Centennial High in Ellicott City will be Central, Frederick Douglass and Gwynn Park.

The 1A South Region meet is today at 3 p.m. at South Carroll High in Sykesville, including Fairmont Heights, Forestville and Surrattsville.

The top 15 individual finishers and the top five teams advance to the state championship meet Nov. 14 at Herford High School in Parkton. Here are a few story lines from each region:

4A South

With their historical triumph at the county championships, the Flowers girls still have the winning feeling fresh in their minds after halting Roosevelt's six-year stranglehold atop the county standings.

"We're always regrouping and focusing on the next goal," said Flowers coach Tracee Gilchrist. "We've got one hump down and practices and training are going very well, so I expect them to have a good regional meet, maybe even better than the county meet.

Flowers leaders T'Nay Williams, Danielle Gainer, Asia Lewis, Camille Washington and Denae Ford all have a chance at top-10 finishes.

Bowie could be the Raiders' primary threat, led by Paul Edwards, Gerardo Amaya and Alan Ottenstein. The Wise boys, however, could also challenge Roosevelt after Trevon White and Kevin King both finished in the top 10 at the county championships.

"I think we've learned about running consistently," White said. "I feel that we're better than last year and we've improved and me, Kevin and Adrian [Miller] should all perform well.

3A South

Largo coach Darryl Hamilton said he felt good about his team's chances before the season started, and his girls' squad has backed him up. The Lions finished third at the county championships, and Hamilton said that trend should continue today at Oak Ridge Park.

"We should qualify for the states on the girls' side, and Ben McKenzie and William Douglass should qualify individually on the boys' side," Hamilton said.

The Lions girls are led by senior Bianca Parker, who finished seventh at the county championships, and her sister, sophomore Tarcha Parker, who finished 13th. Senior twins Ashley and Amber Lindsay, along with senior Agnes Conteh and junior Kamilah McKenzie, give the Lions a great shot at their goal.

Crossland senior Sada Wakefield should also have a shot to make the state meet.

Also of note has been the steady improvement of Potomac junior Antonio Washington, who has his sights set on a return to the state championship meet.

"I think he's focused and he's on the right track," first-year Wolverines' coach John Wallace. "I'm pretty sure that he should score pretty big in the region. On that course, he just has to run smart. It's flat and there's really no big hills. His goal is trying to break 17 [minutes on the 5-kilometer course], and that has a high chance at happening I think, because he's focused."

2A South

The county's focus at this meet will be on the Douglass girls' tandem of seniors Gloria Roberts and Delainey Price, as they try to lead the Eagles to back-to-back team appearances at the state championships.

"I think the biggest factor for myself and Gloria is our coach [longtime county coach and athletic director Bill Hay]," Price said. "He's always been there and has pushed us. I'm very confident in our team right now."

"I think the way we prepared for this season is starting to pay off," Roberts said. "We've had to sacrifice a lot to get to this level. I'm really ready at this point."

Meanwhile, a pleasant surprise on the boys' side this season has been the emergence of Gwynn Park senior Chris Henry, who has been the top boys' runner in the County 3A/2A/1A League this season.

Henry has a shot to make his first trip to the state championships, said first-year Yellow Jackets' coach John Evans.

"I think what has helped him out is just the fact that now he has a coach," Evans said. "I think he's always had the ability, he just wasn't well focused as an athlete. He likes to train, he likes to race, but he had to learn how."

1A South

Who has a shot at becoming a state qualifier after winning the 400-meter state track championship last spring? That would be Forestville senior Ekundayo Sogbeson. With her 15th-place finish at the county championships, Sogbeson surprised many, including herself.

With a performance like that on a tough course like Fort Washington's, Sogbesan could be on her way to running at Hereford High in the state meet.

"To be one of the top runners in the county this year, it's kind of overwhelming," Sogbesan said. "Making the state cross country championships? You wouldn't think a 400 runner could make it."

Equally impressive was Fairmont Heights' Deion Lee, who has a shot at an individual berth for the state championship, after finishing in 15th place at the county championships.

E-mail Terron Hampton at thampton@gazette.net.