Feel free to comment below on who you think has been the runner (boy and girl) of this decade to date. Please note that the runners below are listed alphabetically. What runners would you add to the list below that you think also should be considered. Let's stick to cross country success for this list.
BOYS
Domenic D'Acquisto Enterprise (NS)
Yohannes Estifanos Milpitas (CCS)
Chris Foster Los Gatos (CCS)
Will Geiken Los Gatos
Aidan Goltra Las Lomas/Campolindo (NCS)
Richard Ho Leland (CCS)
Blair Hurlock De La Salle (NCS)
Fred Huxham Redwood (NCS)
Thomas Joyce Campolindo
Chris Kigar El Camino (SJS)
John Lawson Sir Francis Drake (NCS)
Luis Luna Piner (NCS)
Daniel Milechman Tamalpais (NCS)
Aubrey Myjer Mountain View (CCS)
Trevor Reinhart Marin Academy (NCS)
Justin Robison Lynbrook (CCS)
Parker Schuh Mountain View (CCS)
Steven Sum Saratoga (CCS)
Cooper Teare St. Joseph Notre Dame (NCS)
Michael Vernau Davis (SJS)
GIRLS
Morgin Coonfield McKinleyville (NCS)
Kendall Derry Bella Vista (SJS)
Vanessa Fraser Scotts Valley (CCS)
Karlie Garcia Oakmont (SJS)
Chloe Hansel Las Lomas (CCS)
Nikki Hiltz Aptos (CCS)
Lizzie Lacy Menlo (CCS)
Brighie Leach Campolindo (NCS)
Anna Maxwell San Lorenzo Valley (CCS)
Julia Maxwell Branson (NCS)
Megan McCandless Granada (NCS)
Gillian Meeks Gunn (CCS)
Julie Nacouzi Montgomery (NCS)
Fiona O'Keeffe Davis (SJS)
Jena Pianin Amador Valley (NCS)
Sarah Robinson Gunn (CCS)
Cate Ratliff Santa Cruz (CCS)
Brooke Starn Monte Vista (NCS)
Carrie Verdon Campolindo (NCS)
BOYS
Domenic D'Acquisto Enterprise (NS)
Yohannes Estifanos Milpitas (CCS)
Chris Foster Los Gatos (CCS)
Will Geiken Los Gatos
Aidan Goltra Las Lomas/Campolindo (NCS)
Richard Ho Leland (CCS)
Blair Hurlock De La Salle (NCS)
Fred Huxham Redwood (NCS)
Thomas Joyce Campolindo
Chris Kigar El Camino (SJS)
John Lawson Sir Francis Drake (NCS)
Luis Luna Piner (NCS)
Daniel Milechman Tamalpais (NCS)
Aubrey Myjer Mountain View (CCS)
Trevor Reinhart Marin Academy (NCS)
Justin Robison Lynbrook (CCS)
Parker Schuh Mountain View (CCS)
Steven Sum Saratoga (CCS)
Cooper Teare St. Joseph Notre Dame (NCS)
Michael Vernau Davis (SJS)
GIRLS
Morgin Coonfield McKinleyville (NCS)
Kendall Derry Bella Vista (SJS)
Vanessa Fraser Scotts Valley (CCS)
Karlie Garcia Oakmont (SJS)
Chloe Hansel Las Lomas (CCS)
Nikki Hiltz Aptos (CCS)
Lizzie Lacy Menlo (CCS)
Brighie Leach Campolindo (NCS)
Anna Maxwell San Lorenzo Valley (CCS)
Julia Maxwell Branson (NCS)
Megan McCandless Granada (NCS)
Gillian Meeks Gunn (CCS)
Julie Nacouzi Montgomery (NCS)
Fiona O'Keeffe Davis (SJS)
Jena Pianin Amador Valley (NCS)
Sarah Robinson Gunn (CCS)
Cate Ratliff Santa Cruz (CCS)
Brooke Starn Monte Vista (NCS)
Carrie Verdon Campolindo (NCS)
I'd add Gillian Meeks to that list.
ReplyDeleteBrighie Leach, Campolindo?
ReplyDeleteYou should add Los Lomas to Goltra's school affiliation.
ReplyDeleteNo question Fiona O'Keeffe is the best of this decade (and longer)
ReplyDeleteI think O'Keeffe is clearly the #1 girl but it's not so clear for the boys. Who you got?
ReplyDeleteWhy is O'Kieffe the clear #1?
ReplyDeleteWho is better than her?
ReplyDeleteWhat's the criteria? This is cross country so Hiltz and Leach are a stretch only making top 10 at State once. Chloe Hansel was top 10 3 times and state champ last year.
ReplyDeleteThe names you see are runners that are in consideration for the top 10.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't answer my question. And I can think of a few who beat her this year.
ReplyDeleteShe was hurt pretty badly for more than half the season, and still finished 8th at the state meet. After hardly being able to train for months or even walk after the state meet, she then finished 85th in the country. There's no other girl in the state who could do that.
DeleteFiona O'Keeffe is a 2 time state champion who set course records on the Stanford Invitational and Willow Hills course that might not be broken for a very long time. As a junior she finished in 4th place at NXN. Need more?
ReplyDeleteI'll give you Williw Hills but Stanford is a golf course that length varies. That's not a legit course record.
ReplyDeleteThere are other state champions on your list. Not saying she's not the best on the list but it's not as clear as you make it out to be.
She also ran sub 17 at Woodward Park twice.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, if you don't think she is #1, then who is?
@12:19 who else would you consider since 2010 from NorCal? Only one who might be close is two time State Champ Carrie Verdon and her times at Woodward and Stanford are slower....
ReplyDeleteLots of good runners & state champs to choose from. I'm just saying it's not so obvious after this year. Sarah Baxter was great but after her senior year lost a lot of "greatest ever" talk. I think this is the case here too.
ReplyDelete4th at NXN is great but it's nowhere near as esteemed as footlocker. My guess it she would have really struggled in the hills of Mt. Sac & Balboa Park. Again, just making the whole thing not so open and shut.
It pains me to say this but the NXN race on the girls' side is now much more competitive than Footlocker. The 6 fastest girls in California all ran at NXN along with all the girls from Davis and Great Oak.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @ 3:23 PM
ReplyDeleteIt's a Top 10 NorCal this decade from 20110-2015 for high school. Baxter still has to be the best ever for all of California given her 4 state titles during the period. No one else during the period was as dominant. Her post high school career should not be taken into account.
As for O'Keefe and 4th at NXN in 2013, she was only beaten that day by Alexa Efraimson, Elise Cranny and Sarah Baxter, the top 3 high schoolers not named Mary Cain, that year.
You've been asked several times to name some of your choices for top NorCal girls cross country athlete for this decade. Who do you think has performed better than O'Keeffe? Otherwise stop trolling.
Didn't say she wasn't the best. Just saying after a senior year like this it is not as easy of a call as you make it seem.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are a rude d-bag "putuporshutup."
@5:13, ok but O'Keeffe was injured for most of her season! We saw that she was still just as good or better this year when healthy (Stanford) and that she was still better than almost everyone in the state despite hardly training for months (state meet).
ReplyDeleteAs for "struggling in the hills," she dominated Mt. SAC last year. She never had the chance to go up against Kelati or Rainsberger but she beat Donaghu (second at NXN) by a LOT last year at Stanford and I feel very good about her chances in a matchup against either the NXN or FLCCC champ.
Cate Ratliff second to O'Keeffe.
ReplyDeleteHow about Gabe Arias-Sheridan? (From a CCS dad, I consider myself impartial)
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't know why we are arguing about O'Keefe or this list...Coach Caruana puts his lists together with a lot of research and besides it's his list...he can put whoever he wants on it. And BTW, O'Keefe is by far the best runner in NorCal hands down without a doubt! There's a reason why Stanford picked her up...and also there's another component of O'Keefe that people overlook...She's an AMAZING TEAMMATE!!! She didn't have to run at State this year nor NXN, but she did because of the TEAM! She was even limping to the stage at STATE and it was clear that she was in PAIN...Again, lay off Coach Caruana and O'Keefe, seriously...I understand that people have opinions, but those two are a solid contributor to NorCal HS XC and the other the top female HS XC runner of NorCal if not the Nation, who will go on to do great things! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! :)
ReplyDeleteI believe okeefe ran sub 16:30 at mt sac this year
ReplyDeleteO'Keeffe didn't run Mt. Sac this year, Castiglioni was the top Davis runner. I know this won't catch on, but rather than critique everyone's picks, why not put up an argument as to why the choice could be questioned. If you took the time to research finishes and historical records, it would be clear that Fiona has been the most dominant runner in NorCal XC since she came on to the seen and her times stand up to all others during the time period being discussed. 2015: undefeated prior to her injury. 2014: Lost to Destiny Collins at Clovis and came in 4th at NXN, won everything else that mattered, including destroying Collins in rematch at State. 2013: Lost to Baxter at Clovis, 4th at NXN and won everything else that mattered. 2012: Top 10 in every meet as a freshman, including Mt. Sac, Stanford, Clovis and State.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that many of her top times, when healthy would beat fast enough to be a scoring member on GOOD varsity BOYS teams. Who is #2? There are several candidates, but I don't see anybody close during this time period.
I think you have to look at the Maxwells, Julia and Anna.
ReplyDeleteCate Ratliff has run faster than Anna or Julia (Maxwell) at Stanford, Crystal Springs, Toro Park or Woodard. I think she tied Anna's course record at Pinto Lake.
ReplyDeleteI follow CCS not NCS, so I'm not sure if Julia Maxwell has run Crystal or Toro Park.
I would list the top three as:
Fiona O'Keeffe
Cate Ratliff
Anna Maxwell
While Ratliff has outstanding times this season with perfect conditions at State, and Serra. I'd rank the Maxewells, and Verdon higher on sustained greatness. If you go by one superb season, you'd have to give Lacy some love for dropping 1:30 at Crystal, and placing 10th at Footlocker nationals.
ReplyDeleteCate did not come in as some super star club runner who ran sub 5 in 8th grade. she worked hard and was consistant over 4 years.
ReplyDeleteShe is faster than both Maxwell's and in my opinion is one small step behind O'Keefe. Cate destroyed Toro, nearly got the Crystal Springs record (the most historic course in CA, yup Mt. Sac course has changed over the years). Would have loved to see the Davis girls run Crystal Springs. Even healthy I think O'Keefe would have lost that day.
2 sub 17 runs at Woodward, and I guess Stanford 2 weeks B4 Serra never happened? O'keefe would run sub 16:20 at Crystal. Especially with the weather that day. O'Keefe is on a real short list with Stamps and possibly Bei as simply the best NorCal has produced since 1987. I'm not sure anyone better has even raced Crystal. O'Keefe would win both NXN or Footlocker if she'd been healthy.
ReplyDeleteI would add Amber Trotter to any short list.
ReplyDeleteFor sure. My mistake. She's probably the top with the national championship. Those 4 are tremendous. Ratliff, Verdon,and the Maxewells are definitely all time greats too.
ReplyDelete@1:40. No HS girl will ever run a sub 16:20 at Crystal. If you think they could, you don't know the course very well. Fiona could probably at least tie the record of 16:30 though.
ReplyDeleteAs my mama once said, "Never say never (or ever)", now I remember watching Lyon's setting the Crystal CR and it was pretty fantastic. I also saw O'Keefe run at Stanford and she was powerful. If O'Keefe was on the line with Lyon's that day at Crystal then "maybe" she'd give her a run for her money... Afterall, to run 16:30 on Crystal you only need to go out at 5:20, run 5:30 for #2 and hope you can finish up with a 5:40 (not so easy), but that's what Lyon's did - can O'Keefe match that? I believe that whatever you can run a flat road 5K in is what you can run Crystal in, what's Fiona's 5K PR (certified course)?
ReplyDeletehank
Ratliff is a great runner but did not break the course record at the SCCAL Championships, she was shy by a second. Next Maxwell ran the Earlybird in the heat vs great weather! Next Maxwell ran pretty much alone throughout the season. When it comes to Crystal springs, Maxwell time was at CCS, while Ratliff time was at Invite and ran slower at CCS. At State Maxwell ran alone in the dust caused by golf cart and recall seeing a photo somewhere about it and hearing about complaints from several coaches in there respected divisions and Ratliff if I recall had someone run with her pretty much the entire race. Next Julia Maxwell was extremely tough when not injured. Next I would also think Ratliff would have a hard time with Robinson! Robinson pretty much ran alone also throughout the season! The question would be putting all 4 of these girls in one race who would come out on top! Now this is where there finishing kicks would come in and I would either put Robinson or A Maxwell on top on any given day, then Julia followed by Ratliff. They both (Robinson and A Maxwell) were consistent sub 4:50 milers and sub 2:10 800m! Well anyway my 2 cents!
ReplyDeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteCate is #2. Anna #3. It's ok, they're both great but Cate was just unreal this year.
Rob, the State race was the first race all season that Cate did not run alone.
ReplyDeleteAs much as Crystal Springs has a lot of history, it's still primarily a CCS course. Can you imagine if the Crystal Springs course gets the same caliber competition that the Mt. SAC course gets every year. I think both course records would have been toast already. O'Keeffe ran 16:32.1 at Stanford's 5k course which is let's say 15-20 seconds slower than the Crystal Springs course. She is very used to running on hilly courses considering the SJS section course.
ReplyDeleteIt's just speculation on our part but at the very least, she would have broken the course record this year.
Will you guys please, please, please STOP using Stanford as a real 5k course. I seriously doubt the college men's 8k, women's 6k and HS 5k could all have the same start line and finish line and be measured to the meter. It's golf course XC. Course varies year to year.
ReplyDeleteGreat run, but not a valid data point for comparisons. Where else did she run this year?
OKeefe could smash the Crystal record. Very few top 10 national caliber girls have even raced this course. Most just recently, and very few against each other at the same time. Even at CCS you don't usually see the top girls in the same division like you did back when you had girls like Chapman, Chamberlain, and Beir roaming the hills. After 4 years, Ratliff knew how to attack that course, and the conditions were right. Serra is the only place where you'll get a really strong matchup, and someone will take a chance. With CCS alternating, the best are only interested every other year. If O'Keefe was in the PAL and ran that course 3-4 times every year, the record would have been obliterated 2 years ago. She could easily run the first mile in 5:10. She was through 1M in 5:05 at State her junior year in warm conditions. The conditions are a HUGE factor at Crystal. If the western region was held at Crystal every year there would be plenty of girls who'd have run sub 16:20 including from CCS. Maybe even 16:00. If the sun doesn't come out, and the wind is light, there are plenty of downhills that you can take big advantage of. If it's warm, forget it.
ReplyDeleteStanford is a good course for comparison. However it's changed from year to year, it's still a 5k and no matter what, it's still slower than the Crystal Springs.
ReplyDeleteI posted this last year after she broke the Willow Hills course record for another perspective.
This flew under the radar for me this weekend with all the activity at CCS but Davis HS junior runner, Fiona O'Keeffe (photo to left courtesy of Wayne Tilcock) broke the Willow Hills Reservoir course record running 16:57. She broke her own record by 22 seconds.
That may not mean much to runners that do not run on that course but to put it in perspective, that time is worth the same the following on these courses:
Crystal Springs-16:03
Toro Park-16:24
Hayward HS (NCS course)-16:05
Woodward Park-16:23
Those marks show how inflated the Stanford course times are. No way she runs those times.
ReplyDeleteI agree with 2:35 PM
ReplyDelete16:03 at Crystal Springs is not realistic.
I'm pretty sure you missed the point. Nothing inflated about beating Ratliff by 17 seconds on the same course. 1:08 over Coonfield. Who cares if Stanford measures 2.6. Ratliff didn't have a bad race all year.
ReplyDelete