The KHSAA set regional cross country meets for Saturday, Oct. 24 and the state championship for Saturday, Oct. 31 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
The schedule release, posted Tuesday, Sept. 15, gives Dixie Heights and Beechwood runners their first postseason dates under a new statewide alignment the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Board of Control approved July 29.
Dixie Heights lands in Class 3A, Region 5 alongside Boone County, Campbell County, Conner, Cooper, Covington Catholic, Notre Dame, Ryle, Scott and Simon Kenton. Beechwood is slotted into Class 1A, Region 4 with 13 other schools, including Bellevue, Bishop Brossart, Dayton, Holy Cross, Ludlow, Newport Central Catholic and Newport.
The qualifying procedure is unchanged from last year. The number of teams advancing from each regional depends on how many full teams enter. Two to three full teams send two to state, four to five send three, six to seven send four, eight to 10 send five, and 11 or more send six. The KHSAA said the top five individuals from non-advancing teams also qualify for the state meet.
State qualifiers will be determined Sunday, Oct. 25 and posted on the KHSAA website.
Runners who make state get a course preview. The KHSAA said qualifiers can practice at the Kentucky Horse Park on Friday, Oct. 30 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. A coach or school representative must attend.
Class 3A races open the Kentucky Beef Council State Cross Country Championships, followed by Class 2A and then Class 1A. The KHSAA confirmed the Kentucky Horse Park is available for the Oct. 31 date, noting no scheduling conflict with the 2026 Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.
Beechwood's program enters the fall without two-time state champion Lily Parke, who is no longer at Beechwood, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Tigers will look to reload in a Class 1A region packed with Northern Kentucky rivals.
The realignment also shifted Covington Catholic up to Class 3A and St. Henry into Class 2A, according to NKY Tribune. Both changes put familiar Kenton County programs in new competitive brackets this postseason.
Full regional meet details, including host sites and times, are available at khsaa.org. The KHSAA said staff is still finalizing additional postseason details.
