Photo by Richard Andrews
The deepest field in California history meets up at Woodwark Park on the holiday weekend
in search of state titles (and berths to Nike Team Nationals). Topping the list of entrants
is Royal, which is seeking its third consecutive CIF-State Division I Championship!

Note: This is a slightly abridged version of the original preview and space constraints within the
actual meet program might create the need for further edits and "cuts".  Keep your fingers crossed!

         DIVISION I BOYS – The grand clash of the day should play out here as national juggernaut Royal (SS) seeks to capture its third consecutive state championship while Orange County-based elite programs Trabuco Hills and El Toro (both from the SS) continue to raise their season-long rivalry another notch in hopes of entirely erasing the gap to the top-ranked Highlanders. Sac-Joaquin Section winner Davis and Central Section leader Madera are also well capable of securing the title.
         Royal remains unbeaten versus California foes this fall, with major-meet victories at Woodbridge, Mt, SAC and the Southern Section Finals and its lone setback coming against national #1 Ferris of Washington at the Stanford Invitational. Highlanders senior Michael Cybulski (14:45 at Mt. SAC) has been red hot of late, taking down legendary three-time state champion Bryan Dameworth’s course record on the venerable Agoura layout to go along with his big win at the Southern Section Finals. Royal’s front-of-the-lineup superiority has proven too difficult for in-state rivals to match, with seniors Hudson Andrews (14:57 at Mt. SAC), Jun Reichl (15:18 at Mt. SAC) and Danny Benson (15:25 at Mt. SAC, but returning today from a month-long injury-related layoff) supplying Coach Ryan Luce with a very dangerous quartet. Vastly improved junior Alex Routh checks in as the state’s fastest “5th man” as well (15:41 at Mt. SAC). If all cylinders click, Royal is projected to win and could smash the Woodward Park course team-time record by California teams, with Thousand Oaks’ 77:59 from 1993 appearing in the crosshairs.
          Trabuco Hills has exhibited the up-front strength to threaten Royal should the top-rated team (also ranked 5th in the nation) encounter any difficulty. The Mustangs – winners of the big Orange County Championships, the Idaho-based Bob Firman Invitational and runner-up at both Woodbridge and Mt. SAC – are led by siblings J.T. and Riley Sullivan (14:58 and 15:04, respectively, at Mt. SAC). Super junior Scott Blair and immensely improved Chris Mosier provide Trabuco Hills with added superpower, but they will need a step-up performance from its final scorer in order to minimize a ballooning team score in the face of California’s excellent depth in the Division I ranks. El Toro, which performed sensationally to place fourth at the mid-season Stanford Invitational, has begun to rear its head recently for its traditional late-season performance peak, with the Chargers needing a mere 13-second span to stuff the finish chute with all five scorers at the SS Finals, a highly impressive statistic considering all five ran 15:50 of faster on the challenging Mt. SAC course. El Toro, which has saved its best for the state meet each of the last two years, is led by seniors Anthony Masci and Chris McDonald.
            Davis from the Sac-Joaquin Section is a very powerful darkhorse threat, with the Blue Devils placing 7th at the ultra-deep Stanford Invitational and then throwing down an even stronger performance at the SJS Finals, setting the Willow Hill course record. Davis, which at this point in the season now appears to boast both the strength and depth to challenge for the title, is led by senior Brendan Gregg, the Stanford champion, Patrick Lynch and Zach Bonner. Madera, enjoying perhaps the finest season ever by a Central Section school, placed third at Mt. SAC in school record time before winning its sectional title. The Coyotes are typically packed closed together, with Isai Orea and Nathaniel Richardson among their pacesetters.
             The battle for individual honors could center around Royal’s Cybulski and Davis’ Gregg (who beat Cybulski at Stanford before losing their mid-season rematches at Mt. SAC and Woodward Park. Twins Spencer and Dylan Knight of La Sierra (SS) and the Sullivan Bros. from Trabuco Hills are formidable challengers, with CCS champion Diego Estrada of Alisal and SDS standout Eric Avila of Bonita Vista also in the mix.
             DIVISION II BOYS – If the form charts prove correct, then this state final will be a near rematch of the SJS Championships, where the state’s most decorated program over the last quarter century rolled to its 23rd section crown. The top-ranked Marauders are seeking a state record 9th boys crown today, which would close out an excellent CIF season that includes a second-place effort at the Clovis Invitational, a third-place showing among California teams at the Stanford Invitational, and a fine win at its section final. Jesuit is led by seniors Evan Watchempino and Phil McKennan, with its entire scoring crew very capable of gapping within 30 seconds on its best days. Oak Ridge, which took second to Jesuit at the SJS Finals, has strung together a series of fine late-season runs including a team-time performance within about a minute of Jesuit at Sub-Sectionals. Ryan Cosens has been the ultra-consistent workhorse for Oak Ridge, among the most improved combined-gender programs in the state in recent years. Petaluma, which has thrown down some monstrous efforts in its late-season wars, arrives here as champion of the North Coast Section, with its tightly grouped attack sure to provide trouble for its competition. Siblings Sterling and Devin Lockert and Brandon Felipe (all sophomores) help comprise a “team of the future” that just might be arriving at a state podium destination a year sooner than expected!
            Woodcreek has been the surprise of the division, with the squad coming on very well at its section finals to be breathing down Oak Ridge’s neck. Its crew is strong up front, with Garrett Seawell and Chris Romo leading. Los Gatos has been a measure of excellence for most CCS programs, with the Matt Petrillo-paced lineup seeking to exert its superiority in toppling some supposedly better programs. Clovis, which features a great 1-2 punch in Mikel Thomas and Jonathan Peterson, is an ultra-dangerous unit lurking in the shadows; any slight improvement at its depth positions will drop their squad right into the title hunt! St. John Bosco, emerging as the cream of the crop from a very competitive Southern Section landscape, has been highly consistent this year with senior Victor Bonilla being the cornerstone of that very fine program.
            A very attractive individual battle is forecast for this division, with Clovis’ Mikel Thomas holding the best career clocking on this course among the entrants and running extremely well in his senior season. Montgomery’s Blake McDowall, the divisional champion at Stanford to go along with a series of excellent showings throughout the fall, is a superb talent that should threaten Thomas. Southern Section champion Kent Morikawa of Torrance, high-mileage wonder Matt Petrillo from Los Gatos of the CCS, the Jesuit tandem of Watchempino and McKennan, Oak Ridge’s Cosens and St. John Bosco’s Bonilla will make this one a real treat to watch!
           DIVISION III BOYS – Major late-season charges by Southern Section champion Barstow and North Coast Section winner Maria Carrillo have added new zest to the division for championship weekend, with a handful of other squads in tight contention for podium places as well. Barstow downed a series of fine Southland programs with a dominant 56-point performance (it won by 60) at the SS Finals, with the triumvirate of Carlos Perez, Anthony Solis and Isaac Chavez creating a front-loaded attack that no rival could match. Maria Carrillo forged past slightly favored Acalanes to win their NCS Finals clash by six points with Campolindo being just another six points behind. Maria Carrillo’s recent ascent includes the sudden emergence of Calvin Thigpen as a front-running threat for the Pumas. Acalanes’ championship aspirations are fueled by veterans Nate Beach and Joey Thomas, both of whom fared quite while via Top 10 finishes in the talent-laden NCS Division III race.
         Santa Margarita, which at one point topped the Southland rankings earlier this fall, has returned to the battleground in very good shape after prevailing over Palos Verdes in their Southern Section showdown via a 6th-ruinner tiebreaker. Santa Margarita’s leader is senior Mark Hirschboeck while PV is paced by section champion Fawad Khan and red-hot teammate Andrew Ratley.
          The individual battle should be between NCS champion and super junior Greg Drosky of Las Lomas, the Southern Section champion Khan of Palos Verdes and teammate Ratley, and Willow Glen’s Mohamed Abdalla of the Central Coast Section.
         DIVISION IV BOYS – Big Bear has descended from the mountains and come out of hiding … in very fast fashion. The Bears were 35-point winners over a field including four other state-ranked lineups while winning the Southern Section divisional crown. Leading their attack is FootLocker Nationals title contender Chad Hall, who destroyed the Woodbridge Invitational course record with an unheard of 14:00 clocking for the flat 3-miler and has posted the year’s top time Mt. SAC (14:35). Another huge contributor to the low scores often posted by Big Bear is all-state junior Alberto Solis, who placed second in a photo finish at sectionals over Nordhoff star Brandon Shirck.
          McFarland, which rolled to yet another Central Section title in its showdown with Avenal, was the top divisional California placer as Stanford and also won the Division IV crown at the Bell-Jeff Inivtational. Laguna Beach, which had been laying low until capturing second place at its Southern Section final, could become a title threat if its depth scorer can improve enough to squeeze in ahead of Big Bear’s #4 scorer. North Coast Section winner St. Mary’s College of Berkeley was the big winner in its neck of the woods with a 25-point win over defending state champion Piedmont. Riverbank has picked up considerable steam during the stretch drive thanks in large part to the return of German Fernandez from injury. Fernandez, the defending state individual champion, has made a noticeable impact in the team’s spirits with his return, with the crew capturing the SJS title.
            Chad Hall and German Fernandez are the two big names in the chase for individual honors. Hall has clearly had the better season (although he came out much too fast at last weekend’s section final and paid the price in the latter half of the race) and more “quality wins” over top foes, but if Fernandez can draw close to last year’s fitness, this could be a classic showdown! Stanford Invitational champion Matt Duffy of St. Mary's and well-traveled Central Section star Erick Garcia of Parlier are the leading challenger, with Nordhoff's Brandon Shirck being an excellent darkhorse talent.
           DIVISION V BOYS – Woodcrest Christian has been the heavy season-long favorite, but it appears the chase pack is drawing closer. The Royals were able to fend off rival Flintridge Prep in a much-closer-than-expected six-point win at the Southern Section Finals, with the challenging Rebels actually faring better at the final two scoring positions to make things interesting here in Fresno. Woodcrest Christian is paced by senior frontrunner Kody Peterson, who seemingly coasted to victory (but was nearly caught at the finish) at the SS Finals. Sophomore Jake Jeanson is another key low scorer for the Royals, who’ve topped the state rankings all season long.
          College Prep leads a growing list of team challengers, with the NCS champions able to outlast University of San Francisco in their latest battle. College Prep is led by the trio of Jamie Lawrence, Matt Katz and Casey Knudsen. Flintridge Prep, which started the year as a young and green squad, has really matured of the course of the season, with sophomores Paul Weitekamp and Navjit Dullet keying their fine and pleasantly surprising sectional showing.
Mt. Shasta, which has dominated in its section (including a 32-point win over a fine West Valley team), has Cory Coppin and Ramon Rubio at the heart of its attack. The crew beat several Southern Section powers at the Mt. SAC Invitational, where it placed third to Woodcrest Christian and Flintridge Prep.
          If all the cards fall correctly, look for a very tough three-runner battle between Fall River’s Brent Handa, Dublin Valley Christian’s Robbie Knorr and St. Helena’s Brian Cole. Handa was actually defeating Knorr very late into their Stanford Invitational showdown, but Handa lost his concentration with less than a half mile to go and was taken slighty off course by an errant golf cart (which he confused for the lead cart), allowing Knorr to swoop in, seize the lead and hold on for victory. Handa then ran faster than Knorr (15:18 to 15:27) in separate races at the Mt. SAC Invitational. Cole, who has all along been biding his time for the last meets but is reportedly training well, brings 4:16 track credentials for 1600 meters to the start line. If you’re looking for a darkhorse here, Oakwood junior Aric Van Halen might be a fine choice. Van Halen made his final move a tad too late to catch Woodcrest Christian’s Kody Peterson before the finish line at the SS Finals.
           DIVISION I GIRLS – Saugus (SS) has been simply dominant this fall, including big wins at Woodbridge and Mt. SAC to go along with a super effort in winning the Nike/Jim Danner showcase in Oregon. The Centurions fired off another super effort last week, punctuated by a meet-best 91:39 team time at Mt. SAC and a 47-point win over a very tough Fountain Valley squad. Saugus is led by senior Shannon Murakami, who posted a sensational 17:13 effort in taking second at the SS Finals, as well as her younger sister Amber and Katherine Dunne.
          Fountain Valley has national-class performer Elizabeth Coe putting together a blockbuster campaign thus far, with much-improved Lauren Erickson and Nicole Giove also racing well for the Barons. Torrey Pines, which has easily been the class of the San Diego Section and also performed very well at Mt. SAC and Stanford, might be Saugus’ toughest threat for the top spot, with Ana Prim, Erin Gillingham and Megan Morgan spearheading their talent-packed lineup. Buchanan, the class of the Central Section, also harbors visions of the state title, with super siblings Lauren and Cathryn Saylor forming the nucleus of an awesome lineup for the Bears.
         The individual clash has Southern Section champion Kauren Tarver of Serrano and runner-up Shannon Murakami of Saugus, Los Angeles City Section gems Katja Goldring of Hamilton and Kristabel Doebel-Hickok of Palisades and Lauren Saylor of Buchanan among a very deep list of Whos’ Who!
         DIVISION II GIRLS – Carondelet apparently has found yet a few more cylinders for its revved-up engine, with the crew downright dominating the North Coast Section Finals in a 25-98 victory over runner-up Arroyo of San Lorenzo. That effort rivals the one by Saugus in Division I as perhaps the best state-qualifying efforts from all divisions/sections combined! The scary-good part here is there’s not a single senior among the Carondelet group, with its top four all being either freshmen or sophomores. Nicole Hood has been the frontrunner this year, but Kellie Houser and Heather Cerney are cranking it up of late as well, making them heavy favorites to win the crown.
          Ayala, the Southern Section champion, is in a groove as well, defeating a very tough field at the Southern Section Finals after setting course records at Mt. SAC in each of the two weeks prior. The Bulldogs posted an 19-point win over area foe Newport Harbor for the SS title as seniors Grace Gonzales and Briana Cahn were each well below the 19-minute barrier. Newport Harbor, led by senior Taylor Bryson, avenged earlier recent setbacks to Brea Olinda (paced by Vanessa Hancock) and Edison (headlined by sophomore Hillary Hayes). Los Gatos, which stormed to the top of the Central Coast Section charts by season’s end, is another serious podium contender.
         The individual battle should be a dandy, with Woodbridge’s Christina Babcock being favored after being fresh off her 17-minute performance at Mt. SAC in winning the SS title there. Babcock, with 4:40 track speed for 1600 meters, will be challenged by supr SJS talent Alex Kosinki (finally back from injury and rounding into race shape very quickly) Simi Valley’s Anna Sperry and Casa Grande’s Jacque Taylor, who head a strong list of entrants.
       DIVISION III GIRLS – Look for a thrilling rematch of last year’s state meet showdown, which saw Corona del Mar edge a hard-charging Oak Park attack, with both team performances among the best on the calendar for the eventual Nike Team Nationals qualifiers from the California Region. Corona del Mar is very strong once again, being unbeaten in 2006. That perfect string of victories almost came to an end last weekend, however, as Oak Park drew within seven points (48-55) in the final scoring tally. Corona del Mar (91:08 at Mt. SAC earlier this year), ranked fourth in the nation, is led by Sarah Cummings and Shelby Buckley, with Allison Damon also stepping up for a fine clutch performance at the Southern Section Finals. Oak Park started the year conservatively (much like in 2005), but been quickly picking up steam. Its 95:25 team-time clocking at Mt. SAC has the crew looking dangerous, with Breanne Strenkowski, Marissa Diehl and Melissa Skiba heading the charge.
       Campolindo pulled off a bit of a surprise in toppling favored Maria Carrillo at the North Coast Section Finals, with an exciting 57-69 decision throwing further uncertainty into what figures to be a battle for the last podium spot unless the two mega-power programs can be toppled. Campolindo had Laurie Finnegan (18:21) and Catherine Murillo go 1-3 individually at the NCS championships, while Maria Carrillo was bolstered by a fine performance from Leanne Fogg. Alia Gray and Kristen Sanzari are additional key performers for the Pumas. Southern Section powers Irvine and Yucca Valley will battle Sac-Joaquin Section foes Placer and Del Oro in seeking podium spots as well.
Sarah Cummings is on a tear of late to loom as the individual favorite.
       DIVISION IV GIRLS – Division IV could very well be Marlboro(ugh) country! The budding Southern Section powerhouse has kicked it into high gear over the last month, seemingly leaving their top challengers behind. Marlborough, an all-girls private school situated in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles, unleashed a stunning sub-92:00 team-time clocking at the 2.9-mile Griffith Park layout early this month, then followed up last weekend with a 95:43 effort on the hilly Mt. SAC course, a six-minute improvement over their showing on the hills of Walnut just one month prior! Senior Kate Grace is the leader of their purple-clad pack, with the Southern Section title winner also courting excellent foot speed. Freshman Danielle Van de Sande is another top scorer for the crew.
         The team outlook for the rest of Division IV might be the toughest of the day to forecast, with Carmel of the Central Coast Section seemingly having a slight edge over Maranatha (SS). The most dangerous team on the fringe of the podium could be Bret Halte of the Sac-Joaquin Section as it has come on well down the stretch to post a strong win at its area finals.
         The individual battle includes defening champion Maritza Garcia of Riverbank, Marlborough’s Kate Grace and Danielle Van de Sande, and a healthy Maranatha’s Rachel Gill, among others.
         DIVISION V GIRLS – Jordan Hasay resides here. The race will be for second place.
         With the defending state and FootLocker national champion altering her regimen a tad during her sophomore season, she remains the toughest racer on the trails. “Team Hasay” has upped her base mileage and raced more sparingly this fall, aiming for a delayed performance peak that includes hoped-for appearances at FootLocker nationals, USATF Juniors and perhaps the IAAF World Junior Championhips event. Hasay, who owns a 17:02 personal best on this course from last year (fifth-best Californian all time), will be chasing Julia Stamps’ 16:43 course record. Alesandra Roger, the super talent from Marin Academy, leads the parade of those seeking to keep Hasay in sight, with Roger posting an impressive divisional victory at the mid-season Stanford Invitational. Section champions Elizabeth Apgar of Calvary Christian (SD), amber Collier of Woodcrest Christian and Hagen Atkins of Durham are others leading stars checkin in with fine credentials.
         The team clash here is an ever-shifting mystery, although it appears Mt. Shasta is still at the top of the totem pole. Victors from the Northern Section, Coach Steve Nesheim’s lineup also disposed of the Southland’s top talent in a big clash at the Mt. SAC Invitational, including a 7-point win over Woodcrest Christian. Since then, powerful Flintridge Prep beat rival Chadwick in rugged Prep League action, but then Chadwick rebounded to win their rematch at the section prelims. All the while, Woodcrest Christian was beating both Prep League teams in their showdowns, but then has a key frontrunner suffer a broken foot last week. Chadwick, which peaks marvelously in postseason, nabbed Woodcrest for the section crown. Still following along? Yep, it’s going to be a crazy finish!