Alderson-Broaddus is the men's and women's favorite as the West Virginia Conference gathers in Sissonville on Friday afternoon for the league's annual cross country meet. The Battlers are the highest ranked team in the East Region on both sides of the meet. Wheeling Jesuit has won four of the past five men's events, but A-B is ranked ninth in the East Region. Tenth rated Concord is the only other ranked team in the region. The Mountain Lions are shooting for their first conference title since 1968 as head coach Mike Cox has steadily built a solid program in Athens. Traditionally strong Wheeling Jesuit and West Virginia Wesleyan should also be factors, although the Bobcats are injury ravaged. Concord's Chris Snell (Soph., Ravenswood, WV) and freshman Wheeling Jesuit standout Scott Gemberling (Fr., Grafton, WV) are the top candidates to claim the men's individual title. Neither runner has lost to a WVIAC foe this season, but the conference meet marks the first time that Snell and Gemberling have faced each other in 2004. Alderson-Broaddus, the East Region's eighth ranked squad, looks for the school's first conference championship in women's cross country. Head coach Jim Seaton's squad features two of the conference's top runners in Heather McDaniel (Jr., Grafton, WV) and Katrina Jones (Jr., Martins Ferry, OH). McDaniel is unbeaten against conference runners in 2004. Charleston's Erin Cipolat (Jr., Beckley, WV) and West Virginia Wesleyan's Hannah Kovarik (Soph., Hurricane, WV) also should make an impact. A-B's stiffest competition could come from perennial power West Virginia Wesleyan. The Bobcats are currently rated ninth in the region and have claimed eight of the past nine WVIAC titles under veteran mentor Jesse Skiles. The women's meet starts at noon and the men's event follows at 1:00 p.m. Directions to Camp Virgil Tate follow: From the West: Take your best route to I-64 West. Take Exit 47B (Cross Lanes Exit) towards Cross Lanes. This is Route 622 (Goff Mountain Road). Pass straight through the traffic signal in Cross Lanes. Three miles past this traffic light is a second traffic light, at this traffic light turn left following route 622. About four or five miles turn left onto Camp Virgil Tate Road. Follow this road about one mile to the site. From all other points: Take your best route to I-77. Take Exit 111 (Tupper' s Creek) towards route 21. Turn onto route 21 North towards Sissonville, after about one mile; watch for Sissonville High School on your left. At the light at the corner of the high school turn left onto Route 622, follow Route 622 for 3 ½ miles. Route 622 will make a sharp left at a Dominion Gas Transmission station. Take the left, staying on Route 622. Go for another ½ mile and turn right onto Camp Virgil Tate Road. Follow this road for about one mile to the site.