BOYS
With 24 of the top 40 runners graduating the team competition is wide open in 2009. This year the top 4 spots qualify for the State Championships and with some support from a few underclassmen any team could vault themselves into a State qualifying spot. The fact that only 16 of the top 40 runners return this year should allow ample opportunity for the underclassman to shine. In fact, the team competition is likely to come down to which team has the fastest number 5 runner! The question is: Who will step up in 2009?
Aptos won handily in 2008 and is once again the favorite. Saint Ignatius was hit hard by graduation and will need the younger talent to step up big. They will be challenged by Pioneer, who will need the Strum brothers to translate their success on the track to cross country. Even if they both place in the top 5 at CCS they will need help from the 3-5 runners. Willow Glen looks good and could be #2 with help from a solid Frosh-Soph crew, but they will need to hold it together as a new coach takes the reins. North Monterey County could pull it off as they return three strong runners but will need help from the 4 and 5 runners. With a good freshman any one of these teams could make a run for the title!
Top 5 Teams (Top 4 Advance to State)
1. Aptos
2. Saint Ignatius
3t. Pioneer
3t. Willow Glen
5. North Monterey County
Teams to Watch: Saratoga, Burlingame, Monterey
Top 15 Returning Individuals:
(Current Grade; Time & place reflects 2008 CCS Finish)
PLACE NAME YEAR SCHOOL TIME
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2 MITCH MORIARTY 12 APTOS 16:07
5 WESTON STRUM 12 PIONEER 16:2Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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6 DONALD PLAZOLA 11 WILLOW GLEN 16:32
7 NATHAN STRUM 12 PIONEER 16:35
10 GRANT FOSTER 10 PROSPECT 16:43
14 MIGUEL GALLEGOS 12 NORTH MONTEREY 16:54
15 MICHAEL REHER 12 ST. IGNATIUS 16:56
17 RYAN PEABODY 12 APTOS 17:01
19 MICHAEL MCCABE 10 WILLOW GLEN 17:04
21 NICK LEBER 11 APTOS 17:11
29 DREW DAVIS 12 TERRA NOVA 17:39
30 KYLE FUKUI 11 SARATOGA 17:40
33 ZACH WILHELM 12 NORTH MONTEREY 17:53
36 FRANCISCO MORENO 12 NORTH MONTEREY 17:58
37 LUCAS TALAVAN 12 ST. IGNATIUS 17:59
GIRLS
Division 3 looks to be very competitive for 2009. Last year Saint Ignatius won thanks to a strong team performance where their scoring runners were all in the top 20, led by an impressive 2-3 finish by Daly and Hinds. With an impressive number of JV and Frosh-Soph runners looking to move up to the varsity ranks they will be tough again.
But the pre-season favorite has to be Aptos. Led by Marissa Ferrante, Aptos has three of the top 6 returning runners this year in D3. Their top 6 all return and could very well have 5 runners all in the 18’s at Crystal Springs this year. This team is going to be very hard to beat in 2009.
Valley Christian could be in the mix again as they return of 6 of their top 7 runners from 2008. North Monterey County, Note Dame – San Jose and Sacred Heart are also right there and if they have a good day could easily surprise some people.
Top 5 Teams (Top 3 Advance to State)
1. Aptos
2. Saint Ignatius
3. Valley Christian
4. North Monterey County
5t. Notre Dame - San Jose
5t. Sacred Heart
Watch Out for: Burlingame, Saratoga, Monterey
Top 15 Returning Individuals:
(Current grade; Time reflects 2008 CCS Finish)
RACHEL HINDS 11 ST. IGNATIUS 18:45
MARISSA FERRANTE 12 APTOS 19:15
DOMINIQUE GUINNANE 11 PROSPECT 19:50
JOVITA TRUJILLO 12 NORTH MONTEREY 19:58
KIM MCMULLEN 12 APTOS 20:05
EMILY NEVITT 12 APTOS 20:08
EMILY BLAHA 11 VALLEY CHR. 20:16
KAREN WAI 12 SARATOGA 20:24
ABBY OTTO 12 ST. IGNATIUS 20:33
TATIANA BAIZA 10 SACRED HT CATH 20:37
NADINE HUERTA 12 NORTH MONTEREY 20:38
JACQUELYN URBINA 11 ST. IGNATIUS 20:38
ISABEL GARCIA 10 VALLEY CHR. 20:43
LAURA PANDORI 10 NOTRE DAME SJ 20:46
MORGAN LIRA 10 VALLEY CHR. 20:46
Feel free to chime in on the above rankings in the comment section below.
Saratoga lost its top 5 due to grad. and commitments to other activites. but we have a freshman prodigy who ran a sub 5 at counties meet and a soph who runs a 4:50.
ReplyDeleteNames of incoming freshman and sophomore?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment.
4:50 is not very fast regardless of grade.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. Sub 5 minutes for a freshman or sophomore shows potential.
ReplyDeleteFor a girl, yes....
ReplyDeleteThe fastest 800m woman in the world is from CCS
ReplyDeleteI understand the whole low standards thing however boys develop at different rates. A skinny little freshman/sophomore boy running a sub 5:00 minute 1600 has the potential to develop into a competitive runner.
ReplyDeleteAn example would be Rogan Meza of Burlingame (can't speak what he looked like as a freshman or sophomore) but he ran 5:04.71 and 10:42.53 at the league finals as a sophomore. This year he ran 4:21.35 at the CCS finals and 9:39.92 at the CCS Top 8 Meet.
well. this soph recently ran 17:05 5k but someone told me he kinda jog it. his name is harry curtis, winner of the el camino f.s mile
ReplyDeletefreshman is david zarrin who ran 4:56.
and we also got a new coach too.
ReplyDeleteOur top boy miler last year (who plays football) ran 4:50 in 8th grade. Last year ran 4:30 as a freshman. I think that's pretty good.
ReplyDeleteSub 5 for an 8th grade boy is very good and can develop into a huge talent. When I was in high school over in Santa Cruz one 8th grader ran 5-ish and went on to run 4:16 for Soquel. An Aptos runner who barely got in the 4:40's as a freshman went on to be state champion in the 3200.
I know plenty of others...
It is not about low standards but about potential and development. Don't be so negative.
boys' dIII is VERY weak this year, which is too bad. Its too bad we won't be able to see any more of those amazing Willow Glen / Aptos battles and their high places at States!!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the let's not get negative part.
ReplyDeleteThe object of this blog is to bring more of a focus to cross country and track and field in the Northern California area.
Let's keep things positive please. If you really have something you just have to bring up that is negative, then use your name and school and do not post anonymously.
Until a boy can run faster than Jordan Hasay or Nicole Blood did in 7th grade....
ReplyDeleteThe girls will be interesting especially in the WCAL. SI, Valley Christian, Presentation, Sacred Heart & St. Francis will all be in the mix. Will be interesting to see if SI can bring up from JV & Frosh to the same level as years before. I believe SH and Valley Christian will sneak in with some interesting times. Experience will be a big key in how well the times do once they move past their league.
ReplyDeletest francis is in d3?
ReplyDeletekyle fukui will officaly do xc, but he may sit out some meets cuz of academic reasons but he will run leagues and beyond. so saratoga could be a team to watch for.
St. Francis is in Division II.
ReplyDeleteoops my bad i thought the person above me said they're in d3. but it appears that, he/she is talking about wcal lol.
ReplyDelete