Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Northern California Cross Country Rankings #3

A few moves made after last week's performances from around the state. If I am missing a team (or two) that deserve mention, please let us know in the comment section below. Typically, this would have been Stanford weekend which really let us know where everybody belongs. With no Stanford this year (maybe ever), we may have to wait a few weeks to find out. One invitational that will help is the Clovis Invitational and you can check out all the competing teams at that meet at this LINK.
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BOYS
1) Dublin (NCS) Division II
2) St. Francis, Mt. View (CCS) Division II
3) Granada (NCS) Division II
4) Maria Carrillo (NCS) Division III
5) Willow Glen (CCS) Division II
6) Bellarmine (CCS) Division I
7) De La Salle (NCS) Division II
8) Bella Vista (SJS) Division II
9) McClatchy (SJS) Division I
10) Sir Francis Drake (NCS) Division IV

Also under consideration:
Del Campo (SJS) Division III
Homestead (CCS) Division I
Jesuit (SJS) Division I
Rocklin (SJS) Division II
Whitney (SJS) Division II

GIRLS
1) Granada (NCS) Division II
2) Davis (SJS) Division I
3) Santa Cruz (CCS) Division IV
4) St. Francis, Sacramento (SJS) Division II
5) Aptos (CCS) Division III
6) Maria Carrillo (NCS) Division III
7) Campolindo (NCS) Division III
8) Vista del Lago (SJS) Division III
9) San Ramon Valley (NCS) Division II
10) Presentation (CCS) Division II

Also under consideration:
Homestead (CCS) Division I
Oak Ridge (SJS) Division I
Oakland Tech (OAK) Division I
Rio Americano (SJS) Division III

Comments welcome and encouraged. 

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

The top 5 boys tams are in the championship race at Clovis. There will be more clarity and some position changes after that epic race.

Anonymous said...

Santa Cruz is Div IV

Anonymous said...

Any CCS teams running Capitol cross challenge in Sacramento. Flat fast golf course with college teams

Anonymous said...

It's hard to compare the consensus top two teams because Dublin has not run a 5k, and although both have run 3m races, SF ran at Toro (setting a new team record by :27) and Dublin ran at the Woodbridge racetrack. I would put SF slightly ahead of Dublin at this point. I guess we will all find out shortly at Woodward Park.

Anonymous said...

It may be early but I'm putting in an early bet that Saint Francis wins WCAL this year. CCS is a lock and a 1st place trophy at state is not out of the question. Bell has the top runner but I don't see anyone in WCAL who can break up SF top 5 right now. Maybe Scales but my bet is they will go 2-6 at WCAL. Does anyone at State have a 15:25-15:42 5k spread? Best team in CCS history.

Anonymous said...

From Sentinel:

"Aptos coach Dany Gryber has been with the Mariners for 21 seasons and has been part of 12 SCCAL titles in the past 14 seasons. Gryber said losing Annika McBride and Reina Garcia, two of the Mariners top five runners from last year, has produced a hole on the team’s roster sheet."

Hard to see how they will remain in top 10 this year, but maybe the younger talent will step up.

Anonymous said...

Good matchups this weekend at Capitol XC in Sacramento
Boys: #8 Bella Vista, #9 McClatchy, #10 Francis Drake + Jesuit, Davis, Del Campo, Rocklin, Whitney.
Girls: #2 Davis, #4 St Francis, #7 Campolindo, #8 Vista Del Lago + Oak Ridge

Anonymous said...

With Stanford not being run, Capital Cross Challenge entries have grown significantly this year with seeded and unseeded divisions. This should be the first time we see the top SJS girl's teams at full strength. Expect to see Davis's O'Keefe and company running with the Denner sisters, Alize Hartke and a full St Francis squad. A full 9 out of the top 10 girl's pre-season picks (posted 8/08/2017 11:57:00 AM) will be running in the seeded varsity race. With everyone at typical Stanford fitness and looking to put down a fast 5K, it should be a good gauge of who is who in the SJS.

On the boys side, don't count out Armijo, they lost Luis G but maintained the majority of their squad from last year that won this event.

Anonymous said...

According to local newspaper, Aptos VG lost two of their top 5 athletes for this season. Despite having one of best runners in CCS with Marea Zlatunich, I don't think they will remain in top 10.

Anonymous said...

Aptos Girls, Article says Aptos lost 2 of there 5 runners from last year and has a hole to fix. The one thing I have learned about Aptos, is they have been one of the most consistent Teams in CCS the last 14 years, along with a few other SCCAL teams(Santa Cruz and then SLV and SV both going through some changes). Dan Gruber is one of the best coaches out there and he always finds a way to close that gap. Never count out those Mariners!

Anonymous said...

What is the best team in CCS history and how would you compare them to current teams?

Coach Tim said...

Regarding Stanford, "possibly ever"? What is your source or justification for the idea their invitational may not return?

Menlo XC/Track Coach said...

St. Francis boys look untouchable right now...I would wait until Clovis Invite to see where they stand at State, but again, they look REALLY REALLY GOOD. I would never ever count out the Bells though...but agreed that it'll be hard to break down St. Francis even with a 'healthy' Scales (assuming he is indeed injured or still recovering from a long track season).

In regards to Stanford Invite, it's a bummer...I wouldn't read too much into the Capitol Cross Challenge since it's a flat, fast course like Pacific Tigers was too as well as WoodBridge...besides no one really read too much into Stanford Invite as a predictor for State either. Honestly, rankings, other than college football, means nothing...the athletes will still toe the line at Woodward in late Nov. and show who's where in the rankings.

But again very exciting & solid racing so far by the CCS through St Francis Boys, Santa Cruz Girls, and Bell's Meika BR.

Anonymous said...

Tim, I think it is safe to assume that the Stanford Invitational is never coming back. Why: 1) It is a college race that top colleges don't come to anymore; 2) Stanford stopped running their own meet with their top group several years ago; 3) Stanford sports no longer need to hold meets and bake sales to fund their programs; and 4) the way that it was canceled this year, followed up by a less-than-reassuring note, is a classic way to put something to bed with minimal outrage. Next year, when it is permanently canceled, there will be a little more outrage but most of us will just shake our heads and say "Yup, thought so." That's why. Hope I am wrong but I would venture a guess that most people reading this know I am right.

Anonymous said...

Tim, I think it is safe to assume that the Stanford Invitational is never coming back. Why: 1) It is a college race that top colleges don't come to anymore; 2) Stanford stopped running their own meet with their top group several years ago; 3) Stanford sports no longer need to hold meets and bake sales to fund their programs; and 4) the way that it was canceled this year, followed up by a less-than-reassuring note, is a classic way to put something to bed with minimal outrage. Next year, when it is permanently canceled, there will be a little more outrage but most of us will just shake our heads and say "Yup, thought so." That's why. Hope I am wrong but I would venture a guess that most people reading this know I am right.

Unknown said...

15:25- 15:42 5k spread on the flattest course. It was basically a track race. Let’s see how the season plays out. Bellarmine is yet to race their 3 through 5 runners. I would just wait and see how WCAL III goes.

Albert Caruana said...

I agree with anonymous above. Stanford is also going to the Dellinger and competing there tomorrow. It will be much easier for the Stanford coaching staff to travel to that meet than continue to run an invitational that requires a lot of work.

I personally hope that the meet returns next year but my gut says that it won't.

Coach T said...

Since I've been taking teams (about 20 years) it has been a ho hum atmosphere. I'd rather have a well run meet that is geared for the athletes. With the amount of money they have access to, all they give is a t-shirt?!?!

Anonymous said...

Danny and Menlo Coach, I agree that it would be foolish to count out Bellarmine right now. It is still early and they are not running everyone yet. That raises the issue of what is wrong because that does not follow their normal pattern. If they hold anyone back at Crystal on 10/7 I think we can assume there are injuries or other problems. Neither Bell nor SF will run their top 7 at WCAL I since Crystal and Clovis are 3 days later. We will have to wait for WCAL II at GGP on 10/18 to see them head-to-head. The big one will be WCAL III at Crystal on 11/1. If everyone is healthy on both teams, I recommend coming out to watch an epic NorCal battle. As Menlo Coach said, SF looks very good. The type of course aside, the 2,3,4,6,8 finish at Pac Tiger with the likes of Willow Glen in the field is as dominant as I have seen in a long time. While we got some answers already, there are still a lot of questions out there for a few of the top teams to answer.

Anonymous said...

St. Francis Sac girls edged out Davis on 9/27 league race. Santa Cruz girls were 1,3,4,5,6 against Aptos and San Lorenzo Valley in league this week. Granada, Davis and St. Francis will all run at Clovis, but does not appear that Santa Cruz and Aptos will. Oh well, will have to wait until State to see how these norcal teams compare as they are in different Divisions.

Anonymous said...

Are individual rankings still coming?

Albert Caruana said...

Since you asked so nicely, I will have those up sometime today.

Anonymous said...

By division. ;)

Anonymous said...

You may as well just wait for the Saturday races before you make rankings.

Anonymous said...

Joseph .A Gregori should be recognized as a top team as they beat Sir Francis Drake at the Lowell inv. They placed 1 point behind placer at the capitol cross challenge, but placed over McClatchy, Jesuit, Woodcreek, and Davis Sr.(all sjs D1 schools except placer) Everyone keeps sleeping on them.

Anonymous said...

Joseph. A Gregori Varsity boys*

Anonymous said...

Guess you're going to have to move Campolindo up after they beat Davis, St. Francis, and Vista Del Lago today...

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