SLIPPERY ROCK — Brittany Lyons leans against a desk and smiles.

"I remember a race," she said. "It sticks out in my mind because (cross country teammate Andrea Shaffer) was running right beside me. I just kept thinking I can't let her beat me. We passed each other on and off."

And thus the "two-pack attack" was born at SlipperyRock HighSchool.

Lyons and Shaffer have used that mentality to punch their tickets to the PIAA Cross Country Championships at the Parkview cross country course inHershey Saturday.

Lyons, a senior, and Shaffer, a sophomore, each have their own motivations to do well at the state meet this season.

Last year, Lyons labored with a sprained ankle for most of the season.When she returned, she came down with strep throat, which slowed her even more.

She qualified for the state meet because Slippery Rock advanced as a team, but she came in at a disappointing 107th place.

This year, she and Shaffer became a potent 1-2 punch.

In muddy conditions, they finished one second apart at the District 10 meet inSharon last Saturday.

Finishing next to each other was a common theme this season.

"We kind of team up against people," Shaffer said. "I want to beat her."

"I was kind of hoping you did," Lyons interjects, laughing. "I was hoping it wasn't just me."

Lyons runs 40 to 45 miles per week. She puts more mileage on her shoes than on her automobile.

Shaffer isn't quite sure how many miles she covers in a given week.

Last year, Shaffer was unsure about almost everything involving cross country.

She started the season slowly, but progressed as the year went along.

But she, too, was disappointed by her finish at the state meet: 114th place.

"Last year (Brittany) had an injury and I was a just a little freshman," Shaffer said. "I guess my times are a lot better. Last year, I didn't know anything about them."

Lyons has some lofty goals for this weekend.

She wants badly to erase the memory of her finish last season.

"I'd love to be in the top 50," she said. "And, if I have an outstanding race, I'd love to be all-state."

To do that, she would have to finish in the top 25.

Shaffer's goals are a bit more basic.

"I don't know about place-wise," Shaffer said. "But there are some people who I've beaten before who I'd like to beat again."