November, 2005
2005 State Individual predictions
Doug Speck
Girls Division I - Saylor against the Southerners here
photo by Joe Hartman
1. *Lauren Saylor (Buchanan, Clovis-CE) - Hometown favorite will not have it easy, but should be able to handle this field on a facility she knows like the back of her hand. Foot Locker National finalist last year, Saylor was third in this event last year and raced 10:34 for 3200m in the spring track season on the way to third in the State track meet.
photo by George Green
2. **Katie Andrews (La Costa Canyon-SD) fine young runner took her section affair and has had an exciting season down south with some great team battles with rival Torrey Pines! Raced to fine third in the Team Sweeps at Mt. SAC blazing a 17:03 clocking.
Christy Adamyk leads Murakami - photo by Joe Hartman
3. *Christy Adamyk (Glendora-SS) Leader of the Southern Section "wave" in this division. Peaking nicely and added a fine fourth at Stanford Invite along the way. Eighth in spring track for 3200m with 10:36 best.
4. -Crystal Reed (Fountain Valley-SS) Leader of recently one of nation's top teams! Always comes to go out on the pace and was fine 17:21 in a regular race in late October at Mt. SAC.
5. *Shannon Murakami (Saugus-SS) One of the State's best over the last year, emerged in the spring track season at national level with 4:50 and 10:34 in the distances. Was fine 17:08 for third in the Mt. SAC Individual Sweeps, and with talk of slight injury two weeks back recovery could move her up a tad here.
6. **Elizabeth Coe (Fountain Valley-SS) Another of the strong Fountain Valley crew, Coe peaked nicely and raced with a group from the Southern Section in fourth in the Finals there that shows the ability to go well under 18:00 on this layout.
7. -Brittany Morreale (Peninsula, Rolling Hills Estates-SS) Super senior closing out great regular season career here. Was third here last year and would surprise if she moved up to or near that position once again. 10:44 in track and eleventh in State meet.
photo by Margaret Gallagher
8.. ***Hayley Pascale (Carlmont) Part of the great frosh class statewide this year, the CCS Champ has romped in local action and added a fine 17:55 in a regular race at Mt. SAC in late October.
9. ***Erin Gillingham (Torrey Pines, Encinitas-SD) Fine runs recently, with a second in Section to Andrews in leading her team to a win. Raced 18:00 for seventh in Team Sweeps at Mt. SAC.
photo by John Dye
10. -Mariana Monasi (El Camino, Oceanside-SD) Strong third in the Section Finals, defeating some very fine individuals for that spot and looks like she is peaking nicely for this contest.
The above group had better come to run, because there is a talented and deep crew just behind them on the competitive comparison and time clock to challenge for spots in that awards tent.
Boys Division I - Titanic struggle up front with a ton of talented athletes who will make this one deep contest!!
photo by Joe Hartman
1. -AJ Acosta (El Camino, Oceanside-SD) - two competitions against "team Mercado," one a win at Stanford, the other splitting the two at Mt. SAC. Match here on the course where AJ was runner-up to Brandon Bethke last year, with a superb peak in 2004 leading to the Foot Locker Nationals. Action over and off the course's one good hill in Fresno would be worth watching, with 1:53 800 and 4:10 mile speed nice if the finish is close.
photo by Joe Hartman
2. -Diego Mercado (West Covina-SS) Impressive 14:24 Course Record on the new Mt. SAC layout to handle everyone at Mt. SAC. Typical "go from the gun" tactics handled by Acosta at Stanford, not at the SAC record run. Great match-up here with the predictions possibly reversed in a second--measure of this fine crew against the all-time list here will be interesting with good weather in the forecast.
photo by Joe Hartman
3. -Danny Mercado (West Covina-SS) Where one goes, the other----------. Anyway, how the "team" approaches the race will be interesting, as he "move" at Stanford was made by Acosta on one of the course's downhills with the twins dispensing of the San Diego star during the tough and hilly switchback loop at Mt. SAC. Fresno features one hill before two miles with that probably a pivotal point in the event. Danny was super 14:40 at Mt. SAC and should be ready to roll here after the combo cruised to a 1-2 Southern Section race last week.
photo by Margaret Gallagher
4. *Michael Cybulski (Royal, Simi Valley-SS) After being held out a week ago in the Section meet after recovery from a slight injury, the leader of one of the nation's top squads should be ready to roll. Won the Clovis Invite here in early October and was fourth at Mt. SAC behind the above trio and added a fifth at Stanford during the regular season. Remember the race he popped at State in Track where he emerged a surprising 9:02.57 3200 winner as a soph.
5. -Nathan Sellers (Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta-SS) Emerged as one of the state's most improved runners at the top end, with surprising 5th at Mt. SAC at 15:00 in the Invite, then was pressing the Mercado's last weekend in the Southern Section affair, finishing third at 14:59. Has come a long, long ways since the spring!
photo by Joe Hartman
6. -Jake Matthews (Folsom-SJ) Section Champ has had a super Fall, with a third at Mt. SAC in the Individual Sweeps at 15:02, and 6th at Stanford along the way. Was tenth here last year with 4:17 and 9:17 track bests.
7. -Scott Harris (Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga-SS) Fourth in the competitive Southern Section meet looking very strong, Scott was fourth in the Individual Sweeps at Mt. SAC, racing 15:03, and has built for the end of a strong senior year here.
8. -Ahmed Osman (San Diego-SS) Latest out of the super San Diego HS program, Osman was second to Acosta in San Diego and had a number of fine regular season runs, including a 15:06 for sixth in the Mt. SAC Individual Sweeps event.
Andrews leads at pack at Stanford - Joe Hartman photo
9. *Hudson Andrews (Royal, Simi Valley-SS) Steady performer helps lead one of the nation's top teams. Fine 6th here in the Clovis Invitational, and fifth in the cometitive SS affair last week.
10. -Patrick Milloy (Murrieta Valley-SS) 9:07 3200 star was fifth here last year and with the closeness of this field, a good "pop" here could have him there again. Fine 15:06 at Mt. SAC in the Team Sweeps event along the way for his fine squad that is also hoping to be on the awards stand.
--Boys Division I is also frighteningly deep, with the contest capable of an awful lot of people who could run under 15:30 here, sub 5:00 1600 pace for over three miles!!
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