The DeSales Invitational, held each year in early September, is used by the area’s top cross country teams as a gauge. It gives teams an early look at the competition that they will see in league and district championship races, and some that they might not run into until the state meet.

Northwestern’s girls team had its eye on one other team specifically.

The Lady Tigers knew Southern Lehigh had the potential to end their streak of a 135 consecutive league wins, so they wanted to go head-to-head with the Spartans in a nonleague setting just to get a gauge.

The Lady Tigers finished in seventh place with 188 points at DeSales, three places and 56 points behind Southern Lehigh, which finished fourth.

“Our top two did well, Molly (Tarvin) and Maddie (Consuelos),” said Northwestern head coach Chris Stitzel. “I know it was hot but we didn’t have a good showing here today. Southern Lehigh, they’re for real this year. They have a good pack of girls this year.”

Tarvin led the way with a seventh-place finish. Consuelos placed ninth, followed by Hannah Herzon (46th place), Alyssa Zach (48th), Elizabeth Fornauf (83rd) and Cayden Rex (87th). The Tigers’ No. 4 runner, Brooke Devers, suffered an injury at the meet.

The Tigers got another shot at the Spartans as they faced them in Tuesday’s season opening Colonial League multi-team meet.

While they kept it much closer than Saturday, they lost by one point, ending the streak that began back in 2011.

“The season is not lost,” said Stitzel. “We have work to do and we start a new streak. What makes a good team is how we rebound.”

The Tiger boys team also had a solid showing at DeSales. Running without one of the members of the team’s top five, Anthony Vennera, who was taking SATs Saturday, the boys team placed 10th at DeSales.

The Tiger boys team was led by Robert Leiser in 21st place, followed by Phillip Castrine (36th), Kavan Fitzpatrick (58th), Matthew Grim (92nd), Joseph Pleban (94th), Rueben Kemmerer (98th) and Isaiah Jones (99th).

Northwestern boys win middle school race led by Kane Flickinger in fourth place.

Northwestern’s girls team was third in the middle school race led by Alexa Bleam in sixth place.

The Tigers’ Kristen Brown took ninth place in the freshman race at DeSales.