Many of Eastern and Western Maine’s top high school runners are glad that the cold rain and snow have already passed on through.

Why? For the past four years or so, mother nature has not been nice to runners competing in the cross country regionals.

That will not be the case Saturday, as forecasters are calling for sunny skies as runners clash for regional crowns at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast and Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland.

The festivities start with the Class A girls at 11 a.m., followed by the Class A boys 35 minutes later. Class B will follow, then C and D in the same time format.

Two new faces will be on the horizon this year: Edward Little of Auburn and Lewiston are shifting from Western Maine to Eastern Maine in Class A. The Red Eddies will be challenged by defending champ Mt. Blue of Farmington, led by senior Matt Dunlap and last year’s runner-up and 2001 champion Brewer, headed up by seniors David Haluska and Peter McGuire. Morse of Bath should also be in the mix.

Edward Little senior Sam Fletcher and Dunlap should battle for the top spot. Fletcher was second to Belfast junior Levi Miller in the KVAC championships while Dunlap was third.

On the girls’ side, Mount Ararat of Topsham, Bangor, Waterville and the Cougars will be in a tight race for the top spot.

The Eagles are led by twins Jessie and Beth Wilcox, both juniors; the Rams by sophomore Jolene Belanger and junior Casey Dunn and Mt. Blue by junior Lily Hanstein, who was the top finisher in the Maine XC Festival of Champions on the same loop three weeks ago.

The Class B races look to be the most exciting races of the day as PVC champ MDI and Ellsworth should battle it out in the boys’ meet. The Eagles did beat the Trojans by one in the Hancock County championships a week before PVC’s.

Individual-wise, look for Ellsworth senior Joey DeWitt and Miller, who owns the course record, to vie for the top spot. Joey’s freshman brother Corey will also be in the mix.

On the girls’ side, Old Town sophomore Cassie Hintz will return to action after missing the last two meets due to illness. This should also be competitive team-wise, with Ellsworth, Hampden and John Bapst of Bangor all vying for top spots. The Eagles topped the previously unbeaten Crusaders on their home turf last week. Whoever has the strong pack should come out on top here.

In Class C, the Sumner Tigers of East Sullivan appear to be the favorites, far and away. The boys are led by senior standout Ryan O’Keefe, who was third in the PVC’s. They could be challenged by Madawaska.

Freshman Kelsey Linscott and junior Vanessa Brunton should lead the charge for the girls.

In Class D, defending champion Valley of Bingham should be tough with Machias, Shead of Eastport, Narraguagus of Harrington and Washington Academy of East Machias close behind on both sides.