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CIF-Southern Section Finals Meet Preview! | PrepCalTrack.comPublished by
CIF-Southern Section Finals Meet Preview!November 16, 2012 · 0 Comments
By Rich Gonzalez
Two-time defending state champion St. Margaret’s of San Juan Capistrano is turning the corner and set to unveil its best performances of the season over the next two weekends, but will it be enough? The Tartans, who rose to the occasion to swat away rival Crean Lutheran (a Division IV school) at the Academy League Finals, will be pushed to the limit by a proud Flintridge Prep lineup that tore through the competition at the Prep League finale. St. Margaret’s has great up-front presence as brothers Brandon and Collin Price are both capable of scoring in the low single digits. Brandon, a two-time All-State honoree who recently gave his verbal commitment to attend Harvard University, skipped the Mt. SAC Invitational due to illness and cruised at last weekend’s prelims. A time in the low 15:20s here is not out of the question for the decorated senior. Among his biggest challengers could be sophomore sibling Collin, who has improved dramatically in recent weeks. The key to the St. Margaret’s title hopes could rest on how close its fifth and final scorer can cling to the front four. Inconsistency has plagued the Tartans at that position and the scoring effect will only be magnified in this championship level race. Flintridge Prep has to love its own chances for the team win, with an excellent and interchanging front cast making the Rebels a slight favorite. Elias Ellison, Aaron Sugimoto and Alan Yoho are a lethal lead trio for a program ultimately seeking to claim its fifth state in the last 15 years up in Fresno next weekend. The group has undoubtedly had the Tartans targeted squarely in the crosshairs for this championship showdown! Xavier Prep, a newcomer to the Small Schools elite scene in recent years, would need to pull a big upset to snag the crown while Thacher’s fortunes have benefitted from the arrival of key young talent this fall. Both squads are well positioned to claim two of the division’s seven berths to state. The Price Brothers and Sherman Indian’s Isaiah Thompson could be the lead combatants for the individual title, but expect Flintridge Prep to be in that fight as well!
2012 STATS LEADERS @ MT. SAC– DIVISION 5 BOYS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES RACE #2 – DIVISION 1 BOYS – 8:05 a.m. Arcadia entered the 2012 season pegged as the oh-so-slight favorite for the Division I sectional and state crowns, but the arrival of a four-star freshman and a potentially key transfer has given the powerful Apaches some breathing room of late. Even so, Vista Murrieta and Trabuco Hills are two top-notch programs trying to claw back within reach of the top spot while California of Whittier seeks to continue its Cinderella-like campaign.
Arcadia’s lone losses this fall have come to national title contender North Spokane (Wash.) in an out-of-state meet and to rival Crescenta Valley in league action. But Coach Jim O’Brien’s “army” is finally at full strength and approaching form similar to when it captured the national championship in 2010. Senior Mitchell Pratt has been a rock of consistency this season while junior Estevan De La Rosa posted a huge win at the Stanford Invitational in late September. Frosh phenom Phillip Rocha has been a catalyst to the team’s successes, providing performance at the #3 position that in-state opponents have yet to match. Veterans Mahmoud Moussa and Josue Gonzalez and transfer Jarrick Wenslow give this crew fierce depth. Vista Murrieta, which entered the season with nearly identical stats projections as Arcadia, suffered injury early but has steadily been progressing and usually saves its best for last. Porter Reddish, a top-tier talent and stalwart leader, and teammate Omar Solis stake the Broncos with a great lead scoring duo. Trabuco Hills has unveiled among the best championships “peaks” in state history over the years, with the Mustangs potentially very dangerous once again as seniors Noaki Omatsu, Brendan McCabe, Max Moncur and Lucas Dorman provide great leadership for Coach Liam Clemons’ crew. California has been the surprise elite newcomer this fall, with the Condors posting a big Clovis Invitational win on the state meet course as seniors Sam Bautista and Leo Corcoran have keyed their attack. Always powerful Dana Hills is led by anther super frosh in Jacob Ogden while Long Beach Poly is paced by junior star Miguel Bautista. Senior Juan Gonzalez, the Orange County champion, appears to be arriving into postseason with fresh legs and renewed vigor.
2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 1 BOYS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES Race # 3 – Division 5 Girls – 8:25 a.m. The quest for both the team and individual crowns appear to have a clear frontrunner in each case in this division, with Thacher’s group boasting seemingly unmatched depth at this level while Mammoth’s Jody Meads keeps hitting breakthrough after breakthrough with each successive outing. Thacher impressed convincingly at last weekend’s sectional prelims as Arianna Finger (19:41) and Melanie Reimer (19:55) bookended a 14-second gap for its lead four scorers as the Toads literally cruised to victory while posting the division’s top team time of the season. No team in the division showcases at least five runners capable of dipping safely under 20 minutes, meaning Thacher will be tough to unseat for the top spot. Vistamar might not have the depth to match the Toads, but it surely has a sensational lead trio seeking to carry the team onto the podium! Twins Sophie and Liza Currin and sophomore Lily Rino are all capable of finishing in the top 10 for the group, which will then take a wait-and-see approach in the finish chute to see if its front attack can withstand all challengers. Xavier Prep, quickly building a fine tradition at this level, and a vastly improved Desert Christian program will be among those looking to reel in Vistamar. Individually, Mammoth’s Jody Meads is fresh off a lifetime-best 18:16 performance at Mt. SAC last weekend, with the talented sophomore looking to distance herself from her peers in striving to win in blowout fashion. Coming down from altitude, Meads has shown no signs of weakness when navigating through Mt. SAC’s storied hills. Although Meads gains confidence with each outing, the division is brimming with individual talent. Linfield Christian’s Jackie Crowther and Sacred Heart of Jesus’ Ashley Flores have made nice strides this fall while Sophie Currin is a veteran to be respected come championship time. 2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 5 GIRLS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES Race #4 – Division 1 Girls – 8:45 a.m. The Golden State’s two premier programs are set to lock up on successive weekends –perhaps three weeks, if both make it to nationals – in what promises to be a spectacular duel also showcasing the most gifted individual talent on the national scene! Great Oak vs. Simi Valley and Sarah Baxter vs. the stopwatch… what more could you ask for??!! Great Oak has built a vaunted tradition of jaw-dropping depth in recent years, with wave after wave of the Wolfpack arsenal often humbling top-flight competition left in its wake. This year’s crew is – believe it or not – more dangerous than ever as Coach Doug Soles’ “machine” not only flaunts its signature depth, but showcases two scintillating frontrunners in Ashley Helbig and Haley Dorris as well. The Wolfpack will need everyone at the top of their game, however, as improving Simi Valley could threaten for the title. SV’s fortunes are spearheaded by the talk of the town in junior Sarah Baxter. Already taking the country by storm with a memorable victory over an unprecedented girls field at last December’s Nike Cross Nationals, Baxter achieved icon-like status with an eye-popping, jaw-dropping, hair-raising performance three weeks ago that saw her crush the Mt. SAC course record by a staggering 17 seconds (!!), by all accounts the most stunning singular female prep distance-running performance in our nation’s history! But the Pioneers, as Baxter will proudly tell you, are all about “the team.” At last weekend’s prelims, the crew scored a perfect 15 points (!!) in its heat as sophomore Olivia Rosellini and junior Charlotte Utash led its final four scorers across the line in an eight-second span. Barring team-wide sickness it appears unlikely that any other squad will be able to bust up those top two teams, but Yucaipa has been very solid throughout this campaign while the South Coast “SuperLeague” triumvirate of San Clemente, Capistrano Valley and Dana Hills will also clash for local bragging rights. Paloma Valley’s Kiara McIntosh and La Quinta’s Megan Huebner are two national-caliber foes leading the chase pack on Baxter.
2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 1 GIRLS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES Race #5 – Division 2 Boys – 9:05 a.m. Are you ready to try your luck on a friendly “Pick Six” wager? You’ll need it in trying to correctly sort out the finish order for today’s most electrifying race. Dos Pueblos is favored, but we’ve spotted at least six teams during the course of the season capable of snaring the championship! This one will be a doozy, and the finish order could get a complete overhaul again at state! Dos Pueblos has been an exercise in pure consistency this fall, with legendary coach Len Miller pushing all the right buttons as seniors Bryan Fernandez and Max Davis have been leading the Chargers to victory after impressive victory. Fernandez has been the state’s top performer thus far in 2012, including quality victories at Seaside, Woodbridge, Clovis and Mt. SAC while Davis has led the rest of the dangerous pack. Among his biggest challengers here are Villa Park junior gem Garrett Corcoran and Godinez’s Jose Penaloza. As good as Dos Pueblos is, however, there’s an assortment of quality teams not far behind. Among those also in the title mix is Westlake, which blazed the tried-and-tested Agoura High course with stunning success, laying down a performance bettered only by a pair of Thousand Oaks squads from the 1990s’ regarded as among the best in Golden State history! Westlake was, as usual, ‘laying low’ for much of the season but is coming on quickly, with and Mikey Giguere and Rocky Peterson leading the charge. Saugus also brandishes a stellar 1-2 punch in A.J. Yarnall and Rodrigo Ornelas, with the Centurions prevailing over the challenging Foothill League collection to arrive here on a roll! There may be no better squad in the division more formidable up front in terms and fitness and speed than Redondo Union, with Evan Malone-White and Will Tait spearheading a squad that must be respected come championship time! When it comes to respect, perhaps no program has struck fear into opponents more than Loyola. The Cubs – led by Josh Lewis and Robert Brandt – are balanced and deep yet again this year, but so far have lacked the big-race poise that would come in handy in the challenges that await. Canyon of Anaheim, led by senior Austin Goins, has been ultra-consistent this fall.
2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 2 BOYS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES Race #6 – Division 3 Girls – 9:25 a.m. Based solely on this year’s results at major meets – and what better indicator is there? – Bonita looms as the clear title favorite in this division. Only one problem: The calendar reads November and Palos Verdes will be suited up alongside the Bearcats. If there’s one program in the division which consistently brings a new level of performance to the course come championship time, it’s the Sea Kings, who’ve won either a girls or boys state title or runner-up plaque five times during the last three years! Bonita has been at or near the forefront of the division the entire year, with junior Mackenzie Lanza usually leading the way and veteran Marissa Scott now coming on well down the stretch. Palos Verdes has plenty of work to do, with the proud crew relying on Cassidy Webber and Skylar Thiel, two capable top-ten finishers, of leading their quest. Laguna Hills, which represented the Golden State well in competing at the Manhattan Invitational in New York in mid-October, was an impressive heat winner last weekend as senior Alana Jones headlines the Hawks attack. Northwood showcases one of the Southland’s premier juniors in Bethan Knights, the Orange County Championships runner-up placer who also owns the best time (17:23) in the division on the Mt. SAC course. Beverly Hills senior Sydney Segal has been seemingly ‘training through’ much of the regular season, but she issued a statement with a very fine 17:28 performance last weekend in signaling she’s more than ready to battle Knights for top honors. Rubidoux’s Fernanda Rodriguez has been one tough cookie in Inland Empire action this season while Bishop Amat has flaunted its own rising star in sophomore Emily Hubert, whose had multiple battles that fall with league foe Danielle Shanahan of Bishop Montgomery.
2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 3 GIRLS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES Race #7 – Division 4 Boys – 9:45 a.m. Much of the attention in this division has been focused and Fillmore and Salesian – and for good reason. Both have longstanding traditions of success and both have executed with precision this season. But a pair of lethal dark horse threats should emerge in the weeks to come. Fillmore has impressed more than any other program in the division this fall, trekking to several major challenged and coming away victorious nearly every time. Their modus operandi on meet day has been to run in packs, work together, and seemingly hold a bit back. But the time for games is over and now we’ll get to see just how good the Flashes, led by senior Hugo Valdovinos, can be. No program has been as careful in scheduling and racing this season that Salesian, which has seemingly been pointing to postseason ever since the summer began. That type of focus is one reason why the Mustangs have returned to their glory-years status, and will be Fillmore’s fiercest rival in the division as Angel Barranco and Jonathan Estrada lead their championship assault. Don Bosco hasn’t looked the part of championship contender for much of the year, but that’s likely by design. The Tigers have built a reputation for nirvana-like Novembers, racking up state meet appearance after state meet appearance and often coming away with some hardware. Perhaps the most dangerous threat, however, is Big Bear. Led by sophomore Caleb Webb, the Bears have been eerily quiet so far while harboring plenty of talent on its roster. Do not be surprised if they emerge right in the thick of the title picture. Crean Lutheran, led by two of the state’s best at this level in sophomore Sean Pino and senior Michael Sciarra, has risen quickly in recent years and will aim to break up the cast of favorites. La Salle’s Daniel DeLaTorre is primed to take no prisoners in upcoming weeks as the clear favorite to win the individual crown will race against the clock while Maranatha senior Kyle Bueckert, who improved dramatically last November, sets out for an encore.
2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 4 BOYS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES
Race #8 – Division 2 Girls – 10:05 a.m. If you’re a fan of great programs, great rivalries, and great coaching, then boy do we have the race for you. With top-ranked Saugus leading the way in seeking an unprecedented seventh straight California title, this division seeks to match the drama of a year ago, when it produced four squads finishing among the top 13 in the nation! Saugus indeed is the favorite again this year, but so far the advantage over their peers isn’t much. Redondo Union boasts a vaunted front attack, as does Serrano, while Tesoro is among the most powerful programs emanating from Orange County in recent years. Saugus coach Rene Paragas has been experimenting with his lineup throughout the campaign, but the crew’s title chances received a real shot in the arm when sophomore Samantha Ortega began progressing into a true frontrunner. With her leading the way and the best depth in the division, the Centurions seems best positioned for another title run! Mira Costa has been ultra-selective in revealing its cards this season, but victory at the highly competitive Bay League Finals affirmed its strength and big-race moxie. Junior Abby Hong leads the green-and-gold with perhaps the most balanced lineup in the division but Canyon of Anaheim – no slouch itself – is a veteran-driven collection well focused on the task at hand. Olivia and Rianna Goins (part of a set of triplets that includes talented brother Austin) led Canyon’s Comanches, who placed third at the Orange County Championships before rallying with a lopsided win over County champ Foothill at the Century League Finals. Redondo Union has been strong and steady yet again this season, although veteran coach Bob Leetch has seemingly been keeping the reins tight on occasion, gearing up for a peak similar to last year’s mind-blowing10th-place finish at the national championships in Portland. Sophomore Amber Gore and seniors Kayla Ferron and Cara Ulizio lead the powerful Seahawks this season. Tesoro features one of the state’s premier freshmen in Amanda Gehrich while Serrano counters with top siblings Melissa and Kelly Fairchild and frosh Courtney Brenner. Dos Pueblos boasts the individual favorite in junior Addi Zerrenner, one of the nation’s best this season. She’ll battle Saugus’s Ortega, Golden Valley’s Chelsey Totten and Bianca Tinoco, Newport Harbor’s Paige Tennison and a host of others!
2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 2 GIRLS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES
Race #9 – Division 3 Boys – 10:25 a.m. The expected late-season battle for the championship between two familiar rivals was injected with an added dose of intrigue when a third leading combatant entered the title fray as the calendar wound down. Preseason #1 St. John Bosco of Bellflower and #2-ranked Palos Verdes have since flip-flopped in the order, with Brea Olinda also joining the championship party. Palos Verdes reloaded after some key graduation losses from last year’s sate championship team, with senior leader Ryland Dreibelbis and now-healthy star Miles Irish leading the Sea Kings attack that always brings its best come championship time, including two state titles and a runner-up plaques over the last three years More than just along for the ride will be divisional juggernaut St. John Bosco of Bellflower, which battled Palos Verdes to the championship wire last season and appears set to do the same again this month. Senior Myles Smith, the division’s individual title favorite, lead and Ruben Solorza lead a St. John Bosco group that’s still relatively young in championship-level experience, but is under the guidance of one of the West Coast’s premier taskmasters in veteran coach Tim McIntosh. Brea Olinda has been steadily improving this year in courting a solid lineup headlined by frosh sensation Austin Tamagno, among the top half-dozen ninth-graders in the country this fall! Brennon Koryta and Jared Daedler offer up plenty of quality support for a group looking to supplant either of the favorites and get onto the podium this weekend. Paso Robles has quietly been among the Southland’s most improved programs in recent years while Oak Park – paced by a fine duo combination of Sahm Bazargan and Patrick Thedinga – has been coming on well of late. While St. John Bosco’s Smith arrives as the title favorite, it’ll be interesting to see if underclass standouts Michael Teran of Jurupa Hills and Austin Tamagno of Brea Olinda – both byproducts of the respected Roadrunners youth program – can shear down the gap.
2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 3 BOYS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES Race #10 – Division 4 Girls – 10:45 a.m. The final race of the day pits favored JSerra of San Juan Capistrano against…. Itself. JSerra entered the season boasting much returning talent from its state championship squad of a year ago, but plagued by one injury and a very unfortunate illness borne overseas. It has been a long road back, with the Lions systematically taking small steps in the right direction in aiming to be at full strength for the two biggest meets of the year. If healthy, JSerra may prove too tough for all challengers. Senior Colby Lindholm and sophomore Ashley Geisler lead coach Marty Dugard’s powerful attack. Mayfield has come along perhaps as well as any team in the division over the course of the season and Cubs coach Eric Sun has orchestrated a solid crew featuring no true superstars, but a cast of dedicated team players, a dangerous formula come championship time. Senior Christina Cordano leads the crew. Mayfield actually leads a logjam of teams giving chase to JSerra, with Paraclete, La Reina, Laguna Beach and Mission League foes Harvard-Westlake and Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks also on contention. Paraclete is paced by senior Melanie Fujiwara while traditional power La Reina relies of sophomore Ariana Brajkovich and junior Alyssa Frank to bolster its title chances. Laguna Beach pulled off a very impressive early-season win at the Stanford Invitational and very likely is capable or producing a big pop at this weekend’s championships. Notre Dame features among the division’s best teammate tandems in Stephanie LaFace and Kazia Mermel while Harvard-Westlake has sophomore Trishta Dordi leading its state-qualifying chances. One of the best individual duels of the day is featured here as Crean Lutheran’s Lauren Maurer and Bishop Montgomery’s Danielle Shanahan will tussle with the title on the line. Maurer has fueled Crean Lutheran’s recent surge as a girls program and clearly has ample upside while Shanahan has improved her stock dramatically over the last two months! 2012 MT. SAC STATS LEADERS – DIVISION 4 GIRLS SEASONAL-BEST TEAM TIMES SEASONAL-BEST INDIVIDUAL TIMES Coverage and results of today’s races will be at PrepCalTrack.com Read the full article at: www.prepcaltrack.com
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