The preparation on the road to the state meet begins today at Druid Hills Middle School as the first DeKalb County regular season meets begin at 5:15 pm.

Eight teams are scheduled to hit the trail in the first varsity meet at 5:15 pm. Chamblee, Dunwoody, Lakeside, Redan, Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Towers and Tucker are first up today.

Junior varsity teams will hit the course at 5:55 following the first varsity race.

The second varsity race consisting of Cedar Grove, Cross Keys, Lithonia, Martin Luther King Jr. Miller Grove and Tapestry Charter is set for a 6:25 pm start.

Lakeside swept the 2018 DCSD Varsity Cross Country Meet and will be under new leadership with the retiring of longtime coach Rick Barbe. Drew Spires and Brooke Meadors are guiding the Viking runners this season.

Clarkston gave the Vikings a run in the boys’ race finishing 11 points behind while Dunwoody finished 10 points behind the Lady Vikings in the girls’ championship.

Druid Hills finished third in both races a year ago.