By Richard Gonzalez
Editor, DyeStatCal

           HUNTINGTON BEACH – In roughly two-thirds of the other cross-country leagues in the CIF-Southern Section (about 41 of the 66), the young and improved varsity girls squad from Los Alamitos High School would project to be crowned as its champion. But in the lung-searing, quadriceps-burning confines of its own powerhouse league, the Griffins now hold a much more humbling title: fifth-place non-qualifier.
          On the boys side, a Huntington Beach varsity team projecting to finish as champion in half (33 of the 66) of the Southern Section leagues... carries an ignominious label here: fifth-place non-qualifier.
          Welcome to the Sunset League, where only the strong survive – and in some cases, even those teams can’t make the postseason cut.
           A Los Alamitos girls team that would be ranked in CIF-SS Divisions III, IV and V and a Huntington Beach boys teams projected as a state-meet qualifier in Divisions III, IV and V had the curtains close on their seasons on this the opening weekend of November. Los Alamitos had run a spiffy 102-and-change at the recent Mt. SAC Invitational (and ran even better on a slower course seven days later), but was only good enough for fifth place here. Huntington Beach paraded to an 83:48 clocking at Mt. SAC, but came nowhere close to advancing here.
           Not bad depth for a league, huh? By the way, did we also mention this is possibly somewhat of a down year for the six-school league?
           Yes, welcome to the Sunset League indeed. Once you’re welcomed in, you might soon find yourself clamoring to get out.
           How does your league compare in terms of sheer depth? Check these stats out for size:
           Last year, all three automatic girls team qualifiers from the Sunset League went on to clock sub-97:45 at Mt. SAC during the championships, one of them doing so despite losing its top runner to a bloody spill right at the start line. Only two other CIF-SS league had more than one team hit that standard, with both having two.
           Over the last four years, only one team has earned a CIF-SS prelims at-large bid from the larger divisions (I and II), a 2002 Sunset League girls squad that finished ranked 10th in Division II and affirmed that invitation with a 10th-place finish at the CIF-SS Finals two years later.
           This year, seven Sunset League teams (four for boys and three for girls) have made in-season appearances in the CIF-SS Divisional Top 10 team rankings – all in the major-sized divisions. No other major-divisions league can claim more than four. Two leagues have six teams ranked in the mid-sized and lower divisions, but with its teams not nearly as deep on qualitative talent (via cross-comparison of results) as the Sunset League thus far.
            In each of the last two years, the best boys team not to advance out of league and into CIF-SS prelims was a Sunset League member, just off the fringe of the rankings criteria for at-large consideration.
            Over the last four years, the Sunset League is the only Southern Section league to have a combined-gender total of at least five ranked major-division teams each year.
            So which are the best CIF-SS leagues in terms of depth (at least three quality-type teams) this year, based not on divisional rankings (where a division may have no quality depth), but instead on intra-divisional performance? Here’s what our research says (team within each league listed alphabetically):

            Below rankings based on a league’s true quality depth, not merely a league’s best one or two teams. In other words, the leagues in which it is hardest to advance from in order to advance to CIF:

BOYS
1. Sunset (Edison, Esperanza, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Marina)
2. South Coast (Capistrano Valley, Dana Hills, El Toro, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, Trabuco Hills)
3. Empire (Cypress, Katella, Kennedy, Loara, Orange Lutheran, Valencia-Pl.)
4. Bay (Mira Costa, Peninsula, South Torrance, Torrance, West Torrance)
5 . Marmonte (Agoura, Calabasas, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Royal, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake)
6 . Moore (Cabrillo-LB, Compton, Jordan, Lakewood, Millikan, Poly, Wilson)
7 . Baseline (Alta Loma, Claremont, Etiwanda, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland)
8 . Serra (Bishop Amat, Bishop Montgomery, Mater Dei, Rosary, Santa Margarita, Servite, St. John Bosco, St. Joseph)
9 . Century (Brea Olinda, Canyon-Ana., El Dorado, El Modena, Tustin, Villa Park)
10. ?

The Sunset League's 2003 boys lineup!

Fountain Valley boys -- Ranked as high as #5 in CIF-SS Division I.

Marina Boys -- Has been ranked as high as #7 in CIF-SS Division I

Esperanza boys -- Unranked, but fastest mover up the D1 seed charts in last two weeks.

Edison boys -- Ranked as high as #9 in CIF-SS Division II. Now healthy for first time.

GIRLS
1. Sunset (Edison, Esperanza, Ftn Valley, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Marina)
2. South Coast (Capistrano Valley, Dana Hills, El Toro, Mission Viejo, San Clamente, Trabuco Hills)
3. Marmonte (Agoura, Calabasas, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Royal, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake)
4. Bay (Mira Costa, Peninsula, South Torrance, Torrance, West Torrance)
5. Foothill (Burbank, Burroughs-Burb, Canyon, Hart, Saugus, Valencia)
6. Baseline (Alta Loma, Claremont, Etiwanda, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland)
7 .Century (Brea Olinda, Canyon-Ana., El Dorado, El Modena, Tustin, Villa Park)
8 . Serra (Bishop Amat, Bishop Montgomery, Mater Dei, Rosary, Santa Margarita, Servite, St. John Bosco, St. Joseph)
9 . Sierra (Ayala, Chino, Chino Hills, Damien, Diamond Bar, Glendora, St. Lucy’s)
10 . Citrus Belt (Eisenhower, Fontana, Miller, Redlands, Redlands East Valley, Rialto)

Esperanza girls -- Ranked as high as #2 in CIF-SS Division I.
Also on verge of being nationally ranked in The Harrier Magazine's "Super 25".