Can Ayala boys team qualify for state? They were 2 spots away this year and return their entire team. They have 3 sophomores and 2 freshmen in their top 7
Ayala does not return their entire team. You might be confused because the southern section prelims and finals had seniors Razo and Norris listed as freshmen. What's left for 3,4,5 is really going to have to improve. Their top 2 scored just 11 and 17 points, so there is not a lot to gain there. They are one of many teams that has a shot if they improve enough.
Beckman unfortunately missed NXN this year. I personally thought following losing 4 very fast varsity seniors (Horrocks, Barrera, Feaster, and Tenorio) that they would struggle to match their historic season. However, they proved to come back despite having no transfers. They lose Mason Nguyen who has been their obvious low stick, but Nguyen has been apparently injured yet again at the State Championships. I have no doubt, however, that they will be back this season yet again. I do hope they eventually qualify for NXN, because Beckman's come up has been quite fascinating to watch.
Beckman 2026 Varsity
12 Ryan Barris 15:18 (14:29)
12 Hassan Syed 15:41 (9:22/14:32)
11 Jacob Franco 15:45 (14:49)
12 Brandon Boatman 15:46
12 Samuel Forman 15:57
I wonder how they'll do after this year because their underclassman has been quite underwhelming. I predict that this team will be around where they were this year at the state meet, however who knows, Beckman used to get transfers every year, and they surprise us every year and make us think they'll be California favorites.
Top 10 based on returners 5k season best this year:
1. Jesuit
2. Woodbridge
3. San Clemente
4. Redondo Union
5. Mira Costa
6. Campolindo
7. Matilda Torres
8. Beckman
9. Vacaville
10. Hart
Sorry, wasn't right. Was including seniors. This is what should have been posted:
1. San Clemente
2. Campolindo
3. Jesuit
4. Beckman
5. University (SF)
6. Woodbridge
7. Mountain View
8.West Torrance
9. Vacaville
10. St. John Bosco
It would be great to see the Campolindo boys team make NXN next year. They have been nationally ranked on multiple occasions this year, and return all of their 1-6. However, the problem is, because they are in division 3, they will have to race the clock and run the fastest times possible, and score as low as they can. Menlo did a great job handling that last year from division 5 though.
Sorry, wasn't right. Was including seniors. This is what should have been posted:
1. San Clemente
2. Campolindo
3. Jesuit
4. Beckman
5. University (SF)
6. Woodbridge
7. Mountain View
8.West Torrance
9. Vacaville
10. St. John Bosco
It would be great to see the Campolindo boys team make NXN next year. They have been nationally ranked on multiple occasions this year, and return all of their 1-6. However, the problem is, because they are in division 3, they will have to race the clock and run the fastest times possible, and score as low as they can. Menlo did a great job handling that last year from division 5 though.
Well, it is not like they are finishing 1-5 with no one to push them. This year they finished 6-10-19-29-33. The pack is not as dense, but if you are effectively time trialing it, a less dense pack with just enough runners around you could be an advantage. In other words, don't look for problems, look for advantages. Arguably their most impressive performance was their 3200m time trial, where they went 1-2-4-5.
It would be great to see the Campolindo boys team make NXN next year. They have been nationally ranked on multiple occasions this year, and return all of their 1-6. However, the problem is, because they are in division 3, they will have to race the clock and run the fastest times possible, and score as low as they can. Menlo did a great job handling that last year from division 5 though.
Well, it is not like they are finishing 1-5 with no one to push them. This year they finished 6-10-19-29-33. The pack is not as dense, but if you are effectively time trialing it, a less dense pack with just enough runners around you could be an advantage. In other words, don't look for problems, look for advantages. Arguably their most impressive performance was their 3200m time trial, where they went 1-2-4-5.
Correction, they went 2-7-21-30-36. I was looking at the 1 mile score, but the point remains the same.
Gregory and Scarince would have to take it out at least 4:40 pace next year to have some NxN qualifying times/bids. According to interviews, Zavaleta and Deledonne both discussed prior to the race to take it out hard for NxN qualification and that resulted in a multitude of sub 4:40 first miles. Especially if Campolindo wants to receive an NxN bid, they’re going to have to be ambitious and pull of what Menlo did.
Sorry, wasn't right. Was including seniors. This is what should have been posted:
1. San Clemente
2. Campolindo
3. Jesuit
4. Beckman
5. University (SF)
6. Woodbridge
7. Mountain View
8.West Torrance
9. Vacaville
10. St. John Bosco
Good list. Thanks, saves me from doing that. I have been tracking best SRs through the year, and in some cases beyond what might be available. For instance, if an event was speed rated, by the particular race wasn't, I use the same scale used on the other races to get the SR. But I only did that for the major races -Woodbridge, Clovis, Mt Sac..
Two teams that historically seem to do better than expected most years, and already have a solid returning 5 that aren't mentioned above:
Trabuco Hills Dresden Taylor 175.5 Lucan Clemons 174.6 Sebastian Palafox 170.5 Logan Jones 165.4 Ron Banchik 163.1
Crescenta Valley Isaac Johnson 178.5 Enzo Dik 176.5 Owen Burton 170.2 Izaac Rodriguez 165.0 Kanoa Moreno 154.4
There's a few more, but I am still working on the list. It can be hard to find 5 non-seniors with speed rating data.
That said, it is too early to think that much about next XC. Track season will change the outlook a lot, and what I am really doing is setting up my data for track season, not trying to predict next year.
D Taylor was not on the team last year, but appears that he moved in from Washington. Also, back in 2011, Trabuco Hills made NXN after graduating a vast majority of their varsity runners the year before. Crescenta Valley always reloads no matter how many people they graduate
The boy's performances today were probably the worst in history, but I still think we have San Clemente to look forward to next year. 15th in the nation and returning all their varsity boys, for a team that didn't even look like they would qualify halfway through the season, is something we can hope to be great in the future. Other than that, there's not much to be hopeful about... our #1 returner in this race is Mario Montoya, who got 68th place. The junior individuals, Antonio and Stream, were 109th and 131st, which should absolutely be beneath them after what they ran at Woodward park. Hopefully, our best individuals can run well this track season and use this experience to run better next year.
The boy's performances today were probably the worst in history, but I still think we have San Clemente to look forward to next year. 15th in the nation and returning all their varsity boys, for a team that didn't even look like they would qualify halfway through the season, is something we can hope to be great in the future.
San Clemente could have the highest NXN finish in school history. But I thought the same thing this could happen for Jesuit this year and they ended up in the middle of the pack. We’ll see
Is Campolindo going to do Woodbridge or Clovis in 2026? They didn’t do either of them in 2025, and they really haven’t raced any NXN teams, so it’s hard to tell how good they really were this year
San Clemente has a chance to place high at NXN next year, but other than that, on the national level, wow, there’s nothing.
Hard to see California getting 2 (or maybe even 1) at larges next year. Any team looking to make NXN next year should find a muddy place to practice in.
San Clemente has a chance to place high at NXN next year, but other than that, on the national level, wow, there’s nothing.
Hard to see California getting 2 (or maybe even 1) at larges next year. Any team looking to make NXN next year should find a muddy place to practice in.
Running in the mud doesn't get you winning the State meet and being in the top 3 or 4 in the merge and that's how you make NXN.
San Clemente has a chance to place high at NXN next year, but other than that, on the national level, wow, there’s nothing.
Hard to see California getting 2 (or maybe even 1) at larges next year. Any team looking to make NXN next year should find a muddy place to practice in.
Running in the mud doesn't get you winning the State meet and being in the top 3 or 4 in the merge and that's how you make NXN.
running well in the mud is essential to be successful at NXN in Portland though
Exactly, and they only have one week to actually shift gears to NXN, which at that point you are completely tapering. The issue of mud and one week to recover after California's month long grind are the real issues here with California, not the talent pool.
Division 1: San Clemente. Second place in this division in 2025 and returns everyone. Great program.
Division 2: Jesuit. Won the merge by a lot in 2025. They lose 3 scorers but return 5 of their top 8.
Division 3: Campolindo. Looking to 3-peat after winning in 2025 and they return their 1-6.
Division 4: Foothill Technology. This is the toughest division to predict, since all of the top teams are losing most of their varsity. But Foothill Technology almost beat JSerra at CIF section finals, and returns 3 varsity runners including the top 2 guys from state and lots of depth. JSerra loses 6 of their top 7 and doesn’t return any depth.
Division 5: SF University. Won this division in 2025 and returns 6 of their top 7.
Seems like all of the top CA boys teams will be senior-heavy next year. I wonder if California will be in good hands teamwise after class of 2027 graduates.
In 2023 all of the top CA boys teams were senior-heavy, and as a result, in 2024, boys teams placed much lower at NXN than in 2023.
Beckman unfortunately missed NXN this year. I personally thought following losing 4 very fast varsity seniors (Horrocks, Barrera, Feaster, and Tenorio) that they would struggle to match their historic season. However, they proved to come back despite having no transfers. They lose Mason Nguyen who has been their obvious low stick, but Nguyen has been apparently injured yet again at the State Championships. I have no doubt, however, that they will be back this season yet again. I do hope they eventually qualify for NXN, because Beckman's come up has been quite fascinating to watch.
Beckman 2026 Varsity
12 Ryan Barris 15:18 (14:29)
12 Hassan Syed 15:41 (9:22/14:32)
11 Jacob Franco 15:45 (14:49)
12 Brandon Boatman 15:46
12 Samuel Forman 15:57
I wonder how they'll do after this year because their underclassman has been quite underwhelming. I predict that this team will be around where they were this year at the state meet, however who knows, Beckman used to get transfers every year, and they surprise us every year and make us think they'll be California favorites.
Beckman would have finished behind Mira Costa even if Nguyen won. Seems like Beckman peaks early and really tries to hold on at the end.
About the underclassmen, I don’t know what teams in CA have a great group of freshmen and sophomores. I think maybe Trabuco Hills does. And probably Redondo Union since they always seem to reload and they have 2 sophomores already leading the team, And some freshmen that can help the team in the future
