One Upper Arlington High School cross country runner will compete at the state meet for the third time. The other is going to state for the first time.

Seniors Allison Magee and Brendan Long will run in the Division I state cross country meet Saturday at Scioto Downs. While they share a grade level and the same "just go out and run" goal for Saturday's meet, their paths to state couldn't be more different.

After competing with the girls team at state in 2006 and 2008, Magee will be solo this year after her 10th-place finish (20 minutes, 34 seconds) last Saturday at the Pickerington North regional.

"She's been there enough times. She's well-experienced," coach Dale Hartney said. "She's always gotten better and better as the season goes along."

Magee finished 35th at state last year (19:28) for the fourth-place Golden Bears, and was 48th in 2006 as a freshman (19:52) when UA finished 14th.

"They (my teammates) will be able to practice with me, and they'll come to state," Magee said. "I really wish they were coming (to run with me)."

In his only season running cross country, Long placed 10th (17:37) last Saturday. Before this season, Long played on the boys soccer team. Long decided to run cross country over the summer when he went rock climbing out west with his brother. The decision paid off.

"He's an amazing little runner," Hartney said. "He's made us be a whole lot better as a team, and he did a great job."

Whereas Magee has been to state twice before and knows the course, Long said he is going to take advantage of the opportunity runners have before the meet to check out Scioto Downs.

"I always like to do run-throughs of the courses," Long said. "You can see where the nasty spots are at (and) you can avoid them."

Neither Magee, nor Long has a particular goal in mind for the meet.

"Every race is a mystery," Long said. "I just go out and compete every time. That's just my goal."

Magee will run Saturday at 12:35 p.m., and Long competes at 2:50 p.m.

"Allison has always run well every time she's been at the state meet," Hartney said.

"For Brendan, I think he should feel like, 'I'm good enough to run with these guys,' because he is. He's going to be in the top 30 or 40 guys throughout the state of Ohio. I have no visions that they're going to be state champions, but they could be All-Ohio."

The boys team took sixth place with 173 points at the regional, behind champion Pickerington North (75). Also for UA, Andrew Giljahn was 29th (18:14), followed by Wes Ewing (48th, 18:36), Spencer Gardner (60th, 18:47), Victor Pataky (61st, 18:47), Chris Navarre (91st, 19:24) and Frank Mikac (113th, 20:02).

"They ran well," Hartney said. "The three, four and five (runners) were as close as they've been all year long. They've had a great year. We've done the best we've done in five years. We look like we're trying to get back there (to state) again. I'm proud of them."

As a team, the girls placed eighth with 190 points, behind champion Sylvania Northview (61).

Following Magee for UA were Michelle Navarre (34th, 21:26), Bethany Yunker (39th, 21:32), Sarah Hobbs (61st, 22:17), Alison Gilbert (70th, 22:33) and Hannah Craig (78th, 22:48).