The Siuslaw girls cross-country team and senior-to-be Celie Mans begin defense of their state titles in August, with practice beginning Aug. 15 and the first meet Aug. 31.

The Vikings girls return five members of last year's state championship team, led by Mans, and including seniors-to-be Morgan Bingham and Destinie Tatum and sophomores-to-be Kaeli and Trinity Ramos.

Also on the roster are Lainey Goss, Kaylee Graham and Hayleigh Middleton, all juniors-to-be.

Sophomore-to-be Murray Bingham, who placed 10th in state as a freshman, heads the boys team that includes six members of last fall's state team.

Other members returning are seniors-to-be Jack Pickell, Sean Burns and Andrew Rannow and juniors-to-be Isaac Griffes and Kyle King.

Also on the boys team are juniors-to-be Jordan Northrop and Ricky Huff and sophomore-to-be Robert Mans.

First up for the Vikings is an Athletic Timing Services meet on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Independence, featuring 5,000-meter runs for male and female runners at the college, high school, middle school and youth-club levels.

Other big races include the Siuslaw-hosted Woahink Lake Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 1, and the Oregon School Activities Association 4A state championships Saturday, Nov. 5, at Lane Community College in Eugene.

The Vikings 2016 schedule:

• Wednesday, Aug. 31 — Athletic Timing Services, Independence.
• Saturday, Sept. 10 — Ash Creek Festival, Monmouth.
• Wednesday, Sept. 14 — North Bend Tugman Invitational, Tugman State Park.
• Saturday, Sept. 17 — Northwest Classic, Lane Community College, Eugene.
• Saturday, Oct. 1 — Woahink Lake Invitational, Honeyman State Park.
• Saturday, Oct. 8 — Paul Mariman Invitational, Philomath.
• Saturday, Oct. 15 — George Fox Classic, Willamette Mission State Park, Brooks.
• Thursday, Oct. 20 — The Run for the Brownies, Sandpines Golf Links.
• Thursday, Oct. 27 — Far West League district championships, Tugman State Park.
• Saturday, Nov. 5 — OSAA 4A state championships, Lane Community College, Eugene.