I took a swing at the Boys Week #1 rankings after the Lagoon Valley and Oakmont Invitational.
-Mike Carroll
Some teams haven’t raced yet, so expect ranking changes next week after all teams compete at least once.
In Division 1, Oak Ridge, McClatchy, and Davis are the top contenders for the section title and the three state qualifying spots, with exciting battles ahead throughout the season. In Division 2, Jesuit and Vacaville are aiming for state and national success, but the remaining two state spots are up for grabs among strong teams like Bella Vista, Granite Bay, Rocklin, Vista Del Lago, Whitney, and Woodcreek.
BOYS RANKINGS
1. Jesuit (D2)
It’s been 250 days since Jesuit placed 11th at Nike Outdoor Nationals, but they picked up right where they left off with a commanding win at the Oakmont Invitational. Their top five runners all finished in the top 15, beating second-place Oak Ridge by 63 points. Jesuit’s strength lies in its versatile top-five runners, who can shuffle positions seamlessly. Junior Matthew Ogilvie, recovering from a limited 2025 track season, is steadily improving. Junior transfer Colin Bilodeau from Granite Bay will join the already strong squad after his mandatory sit-out period
Last Season: D2 Section: 1st, State Meet: 1st, Nationals: 11th
Returners: Top 5 return. Drake Hoferer, Sr. Isaac Abbott, Sr. Kyle Jakary, Sr. Matthew Oglivie, Jr. Lucas Alberts, Jr
2. Vacaville (D2)
After resting their top runners at the season-opening Sierra College meet, Vacaville showcased its full strength at its home Lagoon Valley Classic meet, defeating second-place Davis 27-40. Junior Cooper Stream led with a strong 15:27 on a challenging course, showing potential for a top-10 finish at the state championships. All five of Vacaville’s runners placed in the top 10, each running under 16:30.
Last Season: D2 Section: 2nd, State Meet: 10th
Returners: Top 5 of 6 return. Cooper Stream, Jr. Steven Gonzalez, Jr. Ty Hundley, Jr. Connor Smith, So. Gunner Lyon, Jr.
3. Oak Ridge (D1)
Last year, Oak Ridge defied expectations in a rebuilding season, taking 2nd at the Division 1 section meet behind Davis and finishing 15th at the state meet. Returning their top six runners, including two under 16:00 and all under 16:30 at Woodward, they showed confidence at the Oakmont Invitational. Senior Roman Zamora surged with 800 meters left, challenging top runners from Jesuit and Tahoe-Truckee, and finished in the top 5. This aggressiveness positions Oak Ridge for a potential top-10 state finish and a possible podium spot this season
Last Season: D1 Section: 2nd, State Meet: 15th
Returners: Top 6 return. Bailey Van Leemput, Sr. Thomas Capelli, Sr. Wesley Ewing, Sr. Oscar Carrillo Frego, Sr. Roman Zamora, Sr. Dax Whann, Jr.
4. Davis (D1)
Sophomore Elias Thronson, last year’s top freshman at the Division 1 state meet, narrowly missed qualifying for the 3200 at the SJS Masters Track finals. At the Lagoon Valley Classic meet, Davis showcased their strength with Thronson, Nicolas Duquette (Jr.), and Zev Fox (Jr.) finishing as the top three D1 boys, ahead of Vacaville’s #3 runner. To challenge Oak Ridge for the D1 section title, Davis needs their 4th and 5th runners to close the current two-minute gap.
Last Season: D1 Section: 1st, State Meet: 10th
Returners: Top 2. Top 4 of 7. Elias Thronson, So. Nicolas Duquette, Jr. Zev Fox, Jr. Sebastian Molina, Sr.
5. McClatchy (D1)
Despite their youth, McClatchy is an experienced team, with their 4x800 squad, including Hugh Heyer (Jr.) and Landon Warriner (Jr.), qualifying for the 2025 CIF State track meet. At last year’s SJS section finals, they were in 2nd at the 1.5-mile mark, but Heyer’s injury on the Finger loop led to a 5th-place finish, missing state qualification. At the Oakmont Invitational, their top four runners had a tight 30-second spread, but their 1-6 and 1-7 spreads were over a minute and nearly 2.5 minutes, respectively. Keeping their top runners healthy is critical for McClatchy to secure a state spot this season.
Last Season: D1 Section: 5th
Returners: Top 4 of 5. Hugh Heyer, Jr. Landon Warriner, Jr. Sujadullah Amarkhil, Jr. Ayden Celeste, Sr.
6. Bella Vista (D2)
Last year, injuries hampered Bella Vista’s talented squad, but they remain a strong contender for the next two years, led by junior Calvin Fear and sophomore Lincoln Manweiler. After narrowly missing state qualification in recent section finals, this team could bring Coach Kuphaldt back to the state championships. Their upcoming race at the “Soiree at SWRA” against Division 2 rivals Whitney, Vista Del Lago, and Granite Bay offers a chance to showcase their strength in a shorter race format.
Last Season: D1 Section: 8th
Returners: Calvin Fear, Jr. Lincoln Manweiler, So. Griffin Keel, Sr. Jonah Wooden, Sr, Connor Hooper, So.
7. Folsom (D1)
After losing their top two runners, Folsom faces a rebuilding year in a highly competitive Division 1. They’ll rely on junior James Ing, a state qualifier last year, and senior Parker Whitemeyer, a transfer from Oakdale with state championship experience. To challenge Davis, McClatchy, or Oak Ridge for one of the three D1 state qualifying spots, Folsom must find a strong 5th runner.
Last Season: D1 Section: 4th
Returners: Parker Whitemeyer, Sr. James Ing, Jr. Maddox Lee, Jr. Andrew Koch, Sr.
8. Turlock (D1)
Like Folsom, Turlock needs a strong 5th runner to compete against McClatchy, Oak Ridge, or Davis. Led by senior Larson Wejmar, they return four runners from last year’s state championship team. At the Oakmont Invitational, freshman Porter Petty stood out as their #3 runner, but Turlock’s 2nd through 5th runners must improve to secure a state berth again this year.
Last Season: D1 Section: 3rd, State Meet: 22nd
Returners: Larson Wejmar, Sr. Zayn Hamilton, Jr. Gabriel Avalos, Sr.
9. Ponderosa (D3)
Ponderosa, the defending Division 3 section champions, didn’t rank higher due to senior Braden Himley’s absence at the Oakmont Invitational. Their strong top three—Himley, Grady Morris (Sr.), and Devin Maldonado (Jr.)—needs support from a 4th and 5th runner to close a two-minute 1-5 time spread. Oakdale, yet to race this season and missing Parker Whitemeyer (transferred to Folsom), remains a threat with their history of section titles and experienced coaching. Ponderosa and Oakdale will face off on September 20 at the Bret Harte Frogtown XC Invite.
Last Season: D3 Section: 1st, State Meet: 12th
Returners: Braden Himley, Sr. Grady Morris, Sr. Devin Maldonado, Jr.
10. Whitney (D2)
Whitney lacks depth this year, but under Coach Jerry Dodge’s leadership, they could surprise at the Division 2 section finals. Sophomore Josh Landon earned a top-25 finish in a competitive Oakmont Invitational varsity boys race, making him a strong candidate for an individual state qualifying spot.
Last Season: D2 Section: 5th
Returners: Josh Landon, So. Davis Little, Sr.