Even with absence of state meets in cross country as well as track and field in past two years, Division 1 powers Buchanan, Newbury Park and Great Oak still remain leading contenders to qualify for NXN, with several teams from other divisions looking to have big impacts in November at Woodward Park

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Girls NXR California

The last true state championship involving distance runners in California was the 2019 cross country final at Woodward Park in Fresno, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of not only last season’s meet, but the past two CIF track and field competitions in June at Buchanan High in Clovis.

Although the landscape of the divisions has changed since then, the top California teams 22 months ago are still the same schools with the best opportunities to be among the elite 22 programs selected to compete in December at Nike Cross Nationals in Portland.

Buchanan, which won state titles in both track and field along with cross country in 2019, still hasn’t had the opportunity to defend either championship.

But if the November meet does occur this season, the Bears are already looking forward to the opportunity to compete in the Division 1 state final against Newbury Park, which has arrived this season after winning the Division 2 championship in 2019.

Buchanan, a two-time NXN qualifier, placed fifth two years ago and Newbury Park was 17th in its debut at the national meet. Both groups will benefit from racing head to head versus in separate races when it comes to earning one of the two automatic bids to qualify to race again in Oregon.

Great Oak, under the guidance of new coach Tammy Draughon, is seeking a ninth straight appearance at the national meet after placing ninth at the 2019 event.

Mira Costa, which advanced to NXN in 2009-10 despite not winning a state championship either year, is looking to capture its first Division 2 title and place itself in the conversation for either an automatic berth or at-large bid. Anaheim Canyon is also pursuing its first state title and berth to the national meet.

A benefit for both teams will be the expected fast pace of the final, with Mira Costa senior Dalia Frias and Ventura freshman Sadie Engelhardt both capable of capturing the individual crown, since 2019 Division 2 state champion and NXN qualifier Alexandra Klos of Vista del Lago – an elite soccer player signed with Santa Clara – has decided not to compete in cross country this fall.

A trio of San Diego programs – Torrey Pines, Cathedral Catholic and Sage Creek – all have the potential to qualify. Sage Creek, which just missed an at-large berth in 2019, will have the benefit of racing JSerra in the Division 4 final, with both lineups capable of competing at the national final in December.

Del Oro, led by Brigham Young commit and two-time NXN qualifier Riley Chamberlain, is scheduled to square off against Cathedral Catholic in the Division 3 championship, with both programs seeking their first berths at the national meet.

1. Buchanan.  Although the Bears graduated a trio of competitors from their lineup that placed fifth at the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals, they still possess the most depth in the state, giving them the early edge against fellow NXN qualifier Newbury Park. Coach Brian Weaver continued to see improvement throughout the track season from juniors Sydney Sundgren and Grace Hutchison, and now has 11th-grader Caroline Mendyk back healthy and running consistently, and senior Kaylee Elliott with plenty of postseason experience to support the latest group of promising young contributors to the lineup. Freshmen Elle Lomeli, Sierra Cornett, Avery Hutchison and Ellie Dimitrashuk will look to fill important roles for Buchanan, with sophomores Stefania Sesock and Riley Burgess also capable of earning one of the prestigious seven spots on the starting line for the Division 1 state final, as the Bears look to defend their 2019 title on their home course at Woodward Park and qualify again to race in Portland in December.

2. Newbury Park.  Coach Sean Brosnan believes that the Panthers are not only capable of winning the Division 1 state title in their first season moving up after winning the program’s first Division 2 championship in 2019, but he also anticipates a significant improvement from a 17th-place finish in their NXN debut two seasons ago. The arrival of Simi Valley transfer Lexi Darley, a senior, along with the addition of freshman Tiffany Sax to the lineup have given Newbury Park two quality components to support senior Samantha McDonnell and junior Ailish Hawkins, both significant returning athletes from the Panthers’ breakthrough season two years ago. Senior Morgan Nygren and sophomores Danielle Brotcke and Samantha Spaulding only add to a formidable group for Newbury Park, which is scheduled to square off against Buchanan for the first time Sept. 18 in the sweepstakes race at the Woodbridge Classic.

3. Great Oak.  For the first time in more than a decade, Great Oak isn’t the first or second girls team mentioned when it comes to analyzing the pecking order in California, a result of Buchanan snapping the Wolfpack’s run of seven consecutive Division 1 state titles at the 2019 championship meet as well as the departure of veteran coaches Doug Soles and Daniel Noble. The challenge for new coach Tammy Draughon will be to rely on the experience gained from several young athletes that filled significant roles two years ago when Great Oak made its eighth consecutive appearance at NXN and mesh it with other athletes from one of the strongest junior classes in the state to help the Wolfpack remain on the Division 1 state podium and put itself in position for another trip to Oregon. Senior Divine Torza and juniors Kelli Gaffney and Aishling Fabian return from a lineup that placed ninth at the national meet in 2019 and are supported by juniors Meilani Castillo, Ameya Teli, Kali Kraus and Joelle Upshur. Sophomore Mia Rodriguez could also work her way into the varsity lineup as well, as Great Oak looks to extend the longest NXN streak in state history.

4. Mira Costa.  The Mustangs were able to celebrate a move to Division 2 this season, combined with Newbury Park being elevated to Division 1, giving veteran coach Renee Williams-Smith an opportunity to finally capture the program’s first state title. But winning the championship is far from assured, with Anaheim Canyon a legitimate challenger not only to the state crown, but also a potential first-time appearance at NXN. Senior Dalia Frias, an All-American at Foot Locker Nationals in 2019, is one of the leading contenders for the individual state championship, which will only benefit Mira Costa in its quest to return to the national meet for the first time since back-to-back appearances in 2009-10. Seniors Kayla Kershaw, Lucca Franz and Anna Iantuono, juniors Anna Chittenden and Ella Parsley, along with sophomore Heather Jensen are motivated to provide the necessary support for Frias, which will hopefully create a significant postseason run for the Mustangs.

5. Anaheim Canyon.  With three of the top athletes in Division 2 in seniors Emma Hadley and Isabella Frisone, along with sophomore Makena Oliva, the Comanches have a strong foundation to build on under coaches Steve Frisone and Heather Frisone. But in order for Anaheim Canyon to ascend from a fifth-place finish at the Division 2 state championship meet in 2019, the supporting cast needs to demonstrate both stability and improvement to allow the group to achieve the postseason breakthrough that Hadley and Frisone have desired throughout their varsity careers. Sophomores Heather Greenbaum and Lindsay Guthrie, along with juniors Keira Potter and Diana Bolton will have another opportunity to measure themselves against Mira Costa, along with several elite Division 1 programs in the sweepstakes race at the Woodbridge Classic.

WATCHLIST

Cathedral Catholic

Del Oro

JSerra

Sage Creek

Torrey Pines