This weekend, the men's cross country team will compete in the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem against a high level of competition.

"The teams we're playing are red hot," coach Harry Groves said. "We have to let them know we're there and pick them off one at a time."

The two bright spots two weeks ago were seniors Chris Foster and Joel Moceri, who set personal record on the course.

"Dan started out slow but he's coming out pretty strong," Moceri said," "Foster could be our number one runner going into this weekend."

Mazzocco is the top Lion, as he made the team's lone appearance at the NCAA Championships last year, but he stresses the importance of a strong team.

"I want the team to go to Nationals," Mazzocco said. "Nationals wasn't as fun because there wasn't anybody to go there with."

Three freshmen cracked the team's top seven runners that will compete in the team race tomorrow and may give Mazzocco teammates at Nationals, if he makes it that far.

During last year's indoor track season, he had problems with his achilles and had to redshirt the spring season. Although he's 100 percent now he's still working his way back.

"I'm not really sure where I was at this point last year compared to now," Mazzocco said. "But I'm feeling pretty good."

Too fast a start gave the Lions problems at last weekends' Spiked Shoe Invitational but as the the runners begin to get into condition, the races should only get easier.

-- By Chris Weeden