Pre-season NCS Division II rankings

The starting gun is about to fire on a new cross country season, and the landscape of the North Coast Section Division II has been completely reshaped. Last year's champions have graduated, and the teams with returning powerhouse runners are ready to seize the moment. Forget everything you thought you knew—these are new races, and here's how they're shaping up!

Boys Division II

Team Outlook

• De La Salle (Favorite): Coming off a runner-up finish at NCS and a top-10 showing at State, De La Salle returns excellent depth. Dillon Gaber leads the way after running ~16:00 at State and 9:24 for 3200m along with Heath Salter. With multiple sub-17 returners, they enter as the team to beat.

• Amador Valley (2nd): A strong, consistent squad with excellent pack running. Sattvik Raju anchors the group after a ~16:00 State run and 4:28/9:46 track season. Their balance across the lineup, including Thomas Hekl (4:28), Aiden Versteeg (4:29), and Gavin Shimojima (9:48), gives them podium stability.

• Granada (3rd): A talented roster headlined by Nicolai Barron, the section’s best individual. Barron’s 15:42 at State, 4:15 1600m, and sub-1:54 relay split make him the top returner. If the back end (Matthew Bertrand, Neil Ajesh, and Taino Mesa), who all have 3200m times under 9:47, develop, Granada could push higher.

• College Park (4th): Last year’s NCS champions still have front-end talent in Grayson Langford (~16:10 at State) and Noah Tungpalan (~16:20). They will need improved depth to stay in the top four.

• Monte Vista (5th): The Mustangs will be led by Mateo Cafaro, who ran an excellent time last year at the state meet and posted a 4:23 and 9:12 during track. This is a very fast time and indicates that if their other runners can stay close, they could move up the rankings. The good news for them is that they have a lot of depth and will look for answers from Cooper Lowe, Kai Grondona, Kevin Vadackumcheril, and Rohan Kotamraju.

• Heritage (6th): Heritage has three solid returning runners, and their fourth is not far behind (Aadit Nair, Brady Lockrem, Sanjog Sooch, and Jared Cabico). They are well-positioned to finish in the top part of the field. Heritage has a strong frontrunner and several other runners who are all under the five-minute mark for the 1600m, giving them a solid group.

• Redwood (7th): Redwood has a full squad of strong runners with a very consistent pack of runners, all under 4:50 for 1600m, led by Gabriel Cavanagh (4:28) and Liam McCaw (4:30). Redwood has the speed and depth to remain a top-five contender. Redwood's consistent performance across all three data sets (XC, 1600m and 3200m) keeps them within reach of the top 5. Their depth and consistency will serve them well this coming season.

Top Individuals to Watch

1. Nicolai Barron (Granada) – 15:42 at State, plus 4:15/1:54 track range. The preseason favorite for the NCS individual title.

2. Mateo Cafaro (Monte Vista) – 15:35 at State, the fastest returning mark at Woodward Park. A legitimate contender for the individual crown.

3. Sattvik Raju (Amador Valley) – Consistent frontrunner, ~16:00 at State and strong 4:28/9:46 track credentials.

4. Dillon Gaber (De La Salle) – ~16:00 at State, 9:34 for 3200m. A reliable low-stick for the Spartans.

5. Connor Buscho (Foothill) – ~16:10 at State as a sophomore, 4:30/9:34 track range. A breakout candidate for 2025.

Next Tier

• Grayson Langford (College Park) – ~16:10 at State, improving track range.

• Noah Tungpalan (College Park) – ~16:20 at State, consistent varsity scorer.

• Jack Moore (Napa) – Developing frontrunner with sub-17 potential.

• Aiden Versteeg (Amador Valley) – Strong XC background, adds key depth to Amador’s lineup.

Girls Division II

Team Outlook

• Redwood (Favorite): With two low-sticks up front in Sydney Middleton and Kate Kozubik, Redwood enters as the team to beat. Both athletes own sub-11:00 3200m track strength and finished in the NCS top 10 last fall. Sophomore Rose Mueller (sub-5:20 1600m) provides added scoring punch.

• Monte Vista (2nd): The defending champions remain dangerous, led by Kaylie O’Connell (6th at NCS as a freshman) and Nadya Makarova. The big story is Ava Padilla, who ran 4:54 for 1600m and 2:09 for 800m to qualify for the CIF State 800m final as a freshman. With Padilla’s rise, Monte Vista has the star power to threaten Redwood.

• Granada (3rd): Headlined by individual favorite Sade Bumpus (17:56 at NCS, 5:01/11:00 track range), Granada has a strong front three but will need improvement at the 4–5 spots to challenge the top two.

• San Ramon Valley (4th): A depth-oriented squad led by Alexandra Smith (5:16/11:11) and Margot Schultz. They’ll need a true frontrunner to climb higher.

• Heritage (5th): Heritage is a team on the move. They are returning the majority of their top runners from last season and have the talent to surprise people. Their consistent top five, anchored by Brynn Faulkner and Isabella Rinaldo, will keep them in the mix and allow them to potentially move up the rankings.

Top Individuals to Watch

1. Sade Bumpus (Granada) – Defending NCS runner-up, 17:56 at NCS, and 5:01/11:00 on the track. The individual favorite.

2. Sydney Middleton (Redwood) – Consistent frontrunner, sub-11:00 3200m, top-10 NCS returner.

3. Kate Kozubik (Redwood) – Nearly identical to Middleton in both XC and track, forming a powerful 1–2 punch.

4. Ava Padilla (Monte Vista) – Breakout star, 2:09 800m State finalist and 4:54 1600m. A massive upside athlete.

5. Kaylie O’Connell (Monte Vista) – 6th at NCS as a freshman, reliable sub-18 contender for 2025.

Next Tier

• Nadya Makarova (Monte Vista) – 15th at NCS, steady mid-19s performer.

• Alexandra Smith (San Ramon Valley) – 11:11 3200m, potential top-10 NCS breakthrough.

• Margot Schultz (San Ramon Valley) – Dependable scorer, consistent varsity presence.

• Rose Mueller (Redwood) – Sub-5:20 1600m sophomore, adds strength to Redwood’s depth.

• Catherine Buechter (Clayton Valley) – Closed 2024 strong, possible top-15 NCS finisher.