2007 Central Section Finals Preview Boys
By Doug Speck - Editor DyeStatCal.com
Thursday, November 8th, 2007 @ Woodward Park (Fresno)
DyeStatCal 'on-site'


photo Joe Hartman
McFarland hopes to start our day off with a big win

2007 Central Section Cross Country Preview
Thursday, November 8th, 2007 @ Woodward Park

Boys Div 4 11:00 a.m.

2006 Team Results:
1. 49 McFarland High (17:13 1:26:02)
2. 60 Avenal High (17:19 1:26:33)
3. 106 Woodlake High (17:45 1:28:45)
4. 111 Parlier High (17:34 1:27:46)
5. 166 Kerman High (18:16 1:31:19)

2007 Top Returneees: (2006 Finalists with grades and times in Finals)
2 2 Jesus Gomez McFarland High Jr 16:47 5:25 573
4 4 David Sanchez Farmersville High Jr 16:59 5:29 69
5 5 Octavio Flores Avenal High Jr 17:03 5:30 276
6 6 Edwin Macias Parlier High So 17:04 5:31 792
7 7 Juan Magana Kerman High Jr 17:07 5:32 676
9 9 Ramon Guzman Woodlake High So 17:11 5:33 149
11 11 Eduardo Garcia McFarland High So 17:19 5:36 575
12 12 Jorge Maciel Parlier High Fr 17:20 5:36 793
13 13 Jose Gomez McFarland High So 17:20 5:36 574
15 15 Jaime Soltero Avenal High Jr 17:27 5:38 275

The Boys’ side of the meet will start off in fine style with one of California’s prep dynasties hoping to roll to another big Championship locally. McFarland High School Cross-Country has been featured as prominently as Sports Illustrated magazine in recent years, with the 2007 edition of the squad ranked #1 statewide at its level once again this Fall. A deep Cougar team should romp here to start our day off on the male half of the show, with senior leader Jesus Gomez leading the nearly all underclass crew to a stomping of many of the State’s Division 4's top squads during a recent trip south to the Mt. SAC Invitational with their 32 point Sweepstakes total. Avenal and Parlier should battle for second, with Jaime Soltero, Jose Ramirez, and Octavio Flores leading a deep Avenal squad, with Parlier, led by talented underclass stars Edwin Macias and Jorge Maciel, hoping to tighten up a 1-5 gap to be 'to-end' competitive. David Sanchez of Farmersville took the East Sierra League individual title ahead of the McFarland crew, with Chapo Guzman (Woodlake) and frosh Christian Gonzales (Exeter) a fine Central Sequoias Finals run.

photo by Mark Smith
Ben Siqueiros (Mission Prep)

Division 5 Boys 12:30 a.m.

2006 Team Results
1. 31 Mission Prep - San Luis Obispo (18:41 1:33:24)
2. 58 Coast Union - Cambria (19:49 1:39:02)
3. 78 Central Valley Christian - Visalia (20:30 1:42:29)
4. 80 Tranquillity High (20:39 1:43:12)
5. 102 Bakersfield Christian High (21:30 1:47:28)

2007 Top Returnees (2006 Finalists with grades and times in Finals)
2 2 Ben Siqueiros Mission Prep - San Luis Obispo Jr 17:39 5:42 400
4 4 Matt Richman Mission Prep - San Luis Obispo Jr 18:23 5:56 401
5 5 Homobono Alcocer Tranquillity High So 19:03 6:09 812
6 6 David Albers Bakersfield Christian High Fr 19:04 6:09 668
8 8 Mark McCutcheon Bakersfield Christian High So 19:21 6:15 666
9 9 Korey Van Hofwegen Central Valley Christian - Visalia Jr 19:36 6:20 175
10 10 Kyle Lucas Coast Union - Cambria Jr 19:48 6:24 560
11 11 Arturo Siqueiros Mission Prep - San Luis Obispo Fr 19:49 6:24 403
12 12 Daniel Estrada Tranquillity High Jr 19:58 6:27 814
13 13 Brian McAllen Mission Prep - San Luis Obispo Fr 20:00 6:27 402

This could be a very, very competitive event. Mission Prep of San Luis Obispo is not going to give up its title without a fight, and 2006 runner-up Ben Siqueiros and fourth placer Matt Richman hope to move the rest of the scoring pack up to take home a championship award.  Mission Prep will be threatened by squads from Central Valley Christian and Tranquility. CVC has Jason Duyst and Tyler VanderSchuur fresh off top ten finishes in the tough East Sequoia League, with Tranquility Cesar Gonzales leading a capable group. Each of the above teams hope to scoot some important 3-4 and 5 position scorers up a bit to come out on top of the scoring.

photo by Ernest Velarde
Ascencion Mendoza (Wasco)

Division 3 Boys 2:00 p.m.

2006 Team Results
1. 50 Mt. Whitney High - Visalia (17:39 1:28:15)
2. 57 Wasco High (17:41 1:28:22)
3. 69 Redwood High - Visalia (17:50 1:29:06)
4. 120 Shafter High School (18:15 1:31:13)
5. 133 Tulare Union High (18:18 1:31:28)

2007 Top Returnees (2006 Finalists with grades and times in Finals)
1 1 Asencion Mendoza Wasco High So 16:32 5:20 638
2 2 Joshua Wittenberg Shafter High School So 16:58 5:29 452
3 3 Josh Snider Tehachapi High Jr 17:03 5:30 595
4 4 Gabriel Verde Redwood High - Visalia Jr 17:12 5:33 824
5 5 Antonio Cantu Mt. Whitney High - Visalia So 17:12 5:33 466
9 9 Jesus Parra Dinuba High Jr 17:30 5:39 413
10 10 Cole Younger Mt. Whitney High - Visalia Jr 17:45 5:44 467
11 11 Jose Cisneros Wasco High Jr 17:49 5:45 639
14 14 Josh Lavinder Mt. Whitney High - Visalia So 17:57 5:48 470
15 15 Nahun Vazquez Wasco High So 18:01 5:49 642

Super contest here for the team title with West Yosemite League Rivals Mt. Whitney and Redwood (Visalia) battling to a 43-45 (Mt. Whitney taking it) contest at the League level, with a bigger platform to perform on here. Super frosh Justin Vilhause (Redwood) emerged as League Champ, with team mate Scott Isaac fourth there, and Mt. Whitney countering with Aric Champagne (2nd), Cole Younger (6th), and Antonio Cantu (8th) from the league run. Through five or six for each team it will be fun to watch, as every placing could be very important once again. Defending Champion Ascencion Mendoza (Wasco) and runner-up Joshua Wittenberg (Shafter) will have company up front from the above crews.

photo by Joe Hartman
Chris Schwartz moves up to Div I - hopes to take
home a title there

Divion 1 Boys 3:00 p.m.

2006 Team Results
1. 26 Madera High (16:09 1:20:43)
2. 55 Buchanan High - Clovis (16:24 1:21:59)
3. 69 Clovis East High (16:34 1:22:47)
4. 84 Clovis West High - Fresno (16:46 1:23:47)
5. 191 Bullard High - Fresno (17:52 1:29:19)

2007 Returnees (2006 Finalists with grades and times in Finals)
1 1 Jonathan Sanchez Buchanan High - Clovis So 15:48 5:06 15
2 2 Isai Orea Madera High Jr 16:00 5:10 1
4 4 Javier Sanchez Madera High Jr 16:06 5:12 2
5 5 Eric Battles Clovis West High - Fresno Jr 16:09 5:13 425
6 6 Andrew Campbell Clovis West High - Fresno Jr 16:09 5:13 424
7 7 Danny Vartanian Buchanan High - Clovis So 16:10 5:13 16
8 8 Jesse Arellano Madera High So 16:16 5:15 5
10 10 Seth deFonseka Clovis East High Jr 16:24 5:18 496
11 11 Matt Wagner Clovis East High Jr 16:28 5:19 497
14 14 Jon Ross Clovis East High Jr 16:33 5:21 495

Tough division here. Rich Gonzalez, DyeStatCal Editor refers to the TRAC League (greater Clovis area plus Madera) as the State’s toughest, and when you look at the group of individual returnees back above (9 of first 11 from last year) you can see the quality on the course today. Buchanan took the TRAC League Finals November 2nd with 50, with Clovis East close behind at 56, and Clovis West taking third on the sixth runner rule after they and Madrea both had 61 points. Thirteen in the League Finals race ran between winner Andrew Campbell (CW) and his 15:36 and 16:16, and with three teams going to the State meet from here it will be a battle royal!
There certainly is more than one league to the division, with very tough Chris Schwartz (Foothill, Bakersfield) taking the Clovis Invitational Championship race, Johnny Sanchez (Roosevelt, Fresno) and Cody Gragg (North, Bakersfield) trying to dent the TRAC “who’s who” list above of returnees.

photo by Andy Noise
Highland hopes to take its 'pack-attack' to a Section win

Division 2 Boys - 4:00 p.m.

2006 Team Scores:
1. 50 Clovis High (16:33 1:22:45)
2. 77 Reedley High (16:52 1:24:17)
3. 84 Roosevelt High - Fresno (17:06 1:25:29)
4. 104 Foothill High - Bakersfield (17:08 1:25:36)
5. 162 Golden Valley High - Bakersfield (17:34 1:27:49)

2007 Returnees (2006 Section Finalists with grades and times in Finals)
3 3 Dion Dekker Reedley High Sr 16:09 5:13 336
7 7 Rolando Chavez Reedley High Jr 16:39 5:22 337
9 9 Germay Tesfai Hoover High - Fresno Fr 16:50 5:26 161
10 10 Oscar Fuentes East Bakersfield High Jr 16:52 5:27 733
13 13 Esteban Rea Roosevelt High - Fresno Jr 16:59 5:29 444
14 14 Chris Valdovinos Roosevelt High - Fresno Sr 17:00 5:29 438
15 15 Luis Chaidez Golden Valley High - Bakersfield Sr 17:02 5:30 537
17 17 Miles Payesno Clovis High So 17:07 5:32 844
19 19 Ruben Ramirez Roosevelt High - Fresno Jr 17:11 5:33 443

Defending Team (Clovis) and Individual (Foothill’s Chris Schwartz) champs jumped up a division in enrollment. A number of squads here can battle for the title. Highland (Bakersfield) has a tight 1-4 gap, with four seconds there on the way to a Southeast Yosemite League title a week ago, with Centennial’s Brant Jones leading his Southwest Yosemite League Champ team on the same Hart Park course in Bakersfield. Tulrae Western dominated its East Yosemite League meet with 26 points, led by individual champ Allen Aguirre. Golden West was a close third to Mt. Whitney and Redwood in the West Yosemite battle, with Jesus Chavez leading four in the top ten, with Jorge Gayton a big help should he be here today. Liberty (Bakersfield) has Talon Reed leading a strong squad that gaps under a minute 1-5 behind him. Oscar Fuentes (East, Bakersfield) had a fine Southeast Yosemite League runner-up effort down south.

Central Section 'road to the state meet' section (league meet results and section information)

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