Cali 1s: Great Oak boys and girls

 

The California Boys

 

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCal Editor

---

 

Three California teams qualified for NXN last season, but none of them were from Division I, providing even more motivation for a trio of talented programs to secure trips to Oregon. The state has produced a pair of national championships and a runner-up finish in the previous 11 years of Nike team competition, but California hasn’t cracked the top five the past two seasons, however that drought should end this year.

 

1. Great Oak: Despite winning a Division I state title last season, veteran group has unfinished business after not being selected to compete at NXN. The Wolfpack possess necessary depth to not only repeat as state champion, but contend for national crown.

2. Dana Hills: Placed runner-up in Division I at Southern Section and state finals, but also missed out on NXN berth. The Dolphins, who lost to Great Oak by only six points at state championship meet, return six athletes in pursuit of first state title since 2009.

3. Madera South: Central Section Division I champions placed third at state final, but were only eight points away from winning a championship. Stallions return four of top five and are seeking a third straight podium finish at state meet.

4. Ventura: Captured first Division II state title and finished seventh at NXN. The Cougars return four athletes, including Garrett Reynolds, giving them a strong foundation in attempt to repeat as champion and return to nationals.

5. West Torrance: Returns top four athletes and six total from lineup that placed sixth in Division II at Southern Section and state championship meets. The Warriors have the potential to challenge for division supremacy in the postseason.

 

Watch list

Agoura (Southern Section Division III)

Palos Verdes (Southern Section Division III)

Loyola (Southern Section Division I)

Brea-Olinda (Southern Section Division III)

Jesuit (Sac Joaquin Section Division I)

Davis Senior (Sac Joaquin Section Division I)

Anaheim Canyon (Southern Section Division II)

Burroughs (Southern Section Division I)

Bellarmine Prep (Sac Joaquin Section Division I)

Arcadia (Southern Section Division I)

St. Ignatius (Central Coast Section Division III)

El Toro (Southern Section Division I)

Bishop Amat (Southern Section Division IV)

Martin Luther King (Southern Section Division I)

West Ranch (Southern Section Division II)

 

 

The California Girls

 

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCal Editor

 

---

 

The top returning team in the state is also one of the elite programs in the country, but the race for the second automatic berth behind Great Oak to compete at NXN is wide open. No California girls team received an at-large berth last year and it will be difficult for one to be selected this season due to a lack of depth across the state.

 

1. Great Oak: The defending Division I state champions return six athletes from last year’s NXN runner-up lineup, including national 3,200 leader Destiny Collins, in addition to adding transfer Skyler Bollinger from Yorkville IL. The Wolfpack have one of the deepest and most talented rosters in California history.

2. Bella Vista: Reigning Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champions bring six back from state’s second-place lineup, but even with wealth of experience, it will be difficult for Broncos to make up ground on Great Oak.

3. Saugus: Graduated four from group that won eighth state title in nine years, but the road to a Division II championship still goes through the Centurions, who continue to reload with young talent plus Valencia transfer Kaylee Thompson.

4. Serrano: Top five runners return from team that placed third in Southern Section Division II and fourth at the state final, making Diamondbacks a legitimate threat again in the postseason.

5. Palos Verdes: Has finished top three in the state in Division III for six consecutive years, including championships in 2011 and last season, and the Sea Kings return 1-2 punch of Jacquelyn Smith and Camille Hines.

 

Watch list

Clovis North (Central Section Division I)

Arroyo Grande (Southern Section Division II)

Davis Senior (Sac Joaquin Section Division I)

Arcadia (Southern Section Division I)

Claremont (Southern Section Division II)

La Costa Canyon (San Diego Section Division III)

Bishop Amat (Southern Section Division IV)

Redwood Larkspur (North Coast Section Division II)

Long Beach Poly (Southern Section Division I)

Aptos (Central Coast Section Division III)

Capistrano Valley (Southern Section Division II)

Trabuco Hills (Southern Section Division I)

St. Francis Mountain View (Central Coast Section Division II)

Monte Vista (North Coast Section Division I)

Dana Hills (Southern Section Division I)

 

 

The Road to Portland and the Introduction of the 2015 Dyestat Nike Regional Rankings. 

 

The DyeStat regional rankings offer a glimpse of who we think has the best chance to qualify for Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore. on Dec. 6. 

 

As such, the "regions" are established by the nine areas created by Nike for their qualifying purposes. There have been slight variations to this configuration over time but since 2008 they have remained consistent:  New York, given its dominance in the sport over the years, is a region unto itself.  California, given its massive population and success, is also a region and its qualifiers come from a power merge at the conclusion of the CIF state championships. The rest of the country is divided into 7 areas:

 

The Southeast:  Delaware, Maryland, Virgina, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and District of Columbia.

The South:  Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Mississippi.

The Heartland:  Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The Midwest:  Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri.

The Northeast:  New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

The Southwest:  Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.

The Northwest:  Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Hawaii.  

 

These regional meets are open to any high schools from its corresponding states. If there is high demand, selectors ensure that the top teams are guaranteed a spot in the championship race.   The top 2 teams in each of the eight regions and the top 2 teams from the California merge all automatically qualify for NXN.  Nike also invites the top five individuals from the nine regions.  In addition to the automatic qualifiers, there is a committee that selects the next four deserving teams in the nation, bringing the total of participating teams to 22 each year.  

 

Every two weeks on Dyestat, Paul Schmitz (boys) and Adam Kopet (girls) will examine each region and make predictions about which teams are most likely to auto qualify for NXN. It is a big country to cover and we welcome your feedback. DyeStatCal editor Erik Boal handles the California rankings.