The James I. O’Neill Raiders won their fifth straight Section 9 Class C girls’ cross country championship last season, while their counterparts on the boys team saw their streak end at four.

The girls’ team went on to finish fifth at the state meet, while the boys’ finished fourth at sections. This year, the Raiders will be looking to win their sixth straight girls’ championship and get the boy’s team back on top.

And they will attempt it on a familiar course.

After a one-year absence the Section 9 championship meet will return to the Raiders’ home course at Bear Mountain State Park. The meet was moved to Sanfordville Elementary School in Warwick last year due to flooding, which caused Bear Mountain State Park to close.

The girls’ team lost Tessa Hendrickson to graduation. She is now running at Auburn University and Isabella Anazagasty transferred out of the school. The boys lost Chris Evans to graduation.

Returning for the girls are seniors Maryann Kick and Amelia Gash, juniors Erin Smith and Alexandra Gash and sophomore Maureen Dacunto. Seniors Peter Dacunto and Daniel Bluman will return for the boys’ team along with junior Sam Kloepper.

Freshman Sophie Catudal, senior Aimee Hipp and eighth-grader Veronica Wolf will join the girls’ team for the first time, while the boys welcome juniors Azro Rogers and Matt Kick, and eighth graders Leo Knox and Aven Mietus.

O’Neill coach Rob Conklin said both teams are looking to the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 4 championship, finish top five at the Oct. 26 OCIAA championship meet and compete for the Section 9 Class C championship.

He’s also hoping for a top 3 finish at the state meet.