Lawrence High’s talented boys cross country team, featuring senior standout Roy Wedge, hopes to take the first step today on its way to back-to-back state titles.

The Lions, who won the Class 6A state championship last year, will be favored in the 6A regional boys team race today at the Haskell Indian Nations University course.

The girls two-mile race will begin at 2 p.m., with the boys portion scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Lawrence High’s boys are coming off a convincing team victory in last week’s Sunflower League championships at Rim Rock Farm, site of next Saturday’s Class 6A and 5A state events.

The Lions, led by Wedge’s career-best 15:41.12 clocking at Rim Rock, won the league title by 24 points over Shawnee Mission South and by 40 points over perennial power SM Northwest.

Free State’s boys, led by Logan Sloan, finished sixth in the league championships and will have to improve on their finish in order to qualify for state because only the top three schools will advance.

Sloan finished third at the league meet and could qualify as an individual if the Firebirds don’t move on as a team.

In the girls competition today, both Lawrence and Free State will have to step it up a few notches after finishing seventh and eighth, respectively, at league.

Free State junior Hayley Francis was the lone city runner to earn a top-10 individual finish in the league meet. She was seventh.