2026 California Track talk (CIF)

Only one section, here are the results.

https://live.athletic.net/meets/61080/events/individual/2769537

Freshman Sterling White sub-9

Also there’s a Freshman from the North Coast section who is section runner up in the 800, Phoenix De Maria Nall from Healdsburg high (same area where runners like Josie Hill and Hanne Thomson are from). He ran 4:23 and 1:53 as a freshman. He got second at NCS MOC with a time of 1:54. I’d like to boldly predict there will be another freshman who qualifies to state and it’ll be from the CCS 1600 if yk yk

I agree freshman Tassa of Mt. View. 1:55, 4:15 and 9:14. As a frosh. Not bad!!

Bummer it would’ve been cool to see a freshman per distance event at the state meet

Gretchen Yakaitis double NCS Champ in the 1600 and 3200!

Stephen Sziebert and Henry Hauser both go 4:09 with Ryan Fitzpatrick trailing behind in 4:10

Yup. I'm at about 50% on my picks.

Distance state meet predictions:

Boys

800: This one may be pretty close but it’s going to be between Josiah Bowman, Lucas Alberts, and Hugh Heyer. I’m gonna go with Bowman just due to being slightly faster than the two SJS guys. Be on the lookout for Evan Chopra from Menlo Atherton CCS. Chopra has a lot of versatility and huge jumps from his sophomore year (No Woodward time soph year -> 15:18 junior, 1:56 soph -> 1:51 junior, 4:28 soph -> 4:10 junior, 10:51 soph -> 9:14 junior). Alden Morales should be in the mix

1600: Maximo Zavaleta (I’m pretty sure he’s prioritizing the 1600 since he has said interviews that his main goal for this season is to go under 4). Aidan Antonio and Cooper Stream should be in the mix. On the lookout: Stephen Sziebert, Jace Deledonne, and Krish Desai.

3200: Hard to predict and it all depends if some of the big dogs will put their chips into the 1600 or if some will run the 3200. I’ll boldly predict that it’ll be between Cooper Stream or the sophomore Mario Montoya. Stream has the 2nd fastest 3200 time behind Zavaleta and Montoya has the 3rd fastest. I expect this race to play out like 2024 but not as fast (will definitely be faster than 2025). Some guys to be on lookout would be Aidan Antonio, Michael Scarince, and Jaxon Northcutt (that’s if he doesn’t keep going 8:57 again). Ryan Fitzpatrick, Alijah Murillo, Blake Bay, and Matthew Ogilvie will go sub 9. Oliver Hunter and Olly O Connor will be in the mix.

4x800: Mira Costa

Girls

800: If Braelyn Combe decides not to run the 800, I’d give it to Josie Hill (arguably the 2nd fastest 800 runner behind Combe having a season best of 2:06). But yeah if Combe is racing the answer will be pretty obvious. Her teammate Nicole Samson, Azra Gereck, and Grace Smith should be in the mix. On the lookout: Ava Decleve, Anna Salter, Isla Terrill

1600: Braelyn Combe (this is her main event I highly doubt she would scratch out). Chiara Dailey is a close second. Reese Holley, Isla Terrill, Anna Salter, Isla Bulmer, Gretchen Yakaitis, and Farah Allen should be in the mix. Look out for Delaney Napierala, Carol Dye, Norah Feldt, and Giselle Fernandez.

3200: It’ll be between Summer Wilson, Amaya Bhardwaj, and Chiara Dailey (that’s if she doesn’t DNF again). I expect to see Wilson and Bharadwaj to go under 10. Freshman Alyssa Gutierrez, Isabella Rameriez, Elliana Patterson, and Ari Llorens should be in the mix. Be on the lookout for Brooke Olivera, Natalie Arriaza, Gretchen Yakaitis, Millie Bayles, Cruz twins, and Addyson Johns.

4x800: Santiago (Corona) it would be cool to see Combe get triple dubs.

I agree with your picks. Gereck has broken through the mental barrier of 2:10. She is smart runner for a sophomore. Plus she has that 53.6 400 speed, from the relay, which she will not run now. She should be fresher for the 800.

I would add Gweneth Williams. She been around 4:50 the last two weeks. if she has a 4 to 6 seconds pop time in the 1600 she may sneak in to top 5.

The only question I have right now is the Central Section, I haven't been able to see their results and what the Buchanan girls did. You can never count them out.

Central Section was alright in terms of results. Hunter Hannah of Matilda Torres is double valley champ in the 1600 and 3200 while his team Benjamin Fernandez is going to run in the 3200 with him. Isabella Ramirez got dethroned but did qualify for the state meet. Gweneth Williams has been on a tear the last two weeks but Williams has also faltered before on the big stages the past xc season and last track season so I am curious if she’ll be able to maintain the momentum going into state. I also forgot to mention Djali de Chalus to being on the list to go sub 9. It’s also a bummer to see the Campolindo duo of Clark Gregory and Caden Ehrhorn and Sophmore Elias Thronson not qualifying for state (Gregory did not race in his league finals and Ehrhorn didn’t make it past NCS prelims despite having the fastest 1600 time in the section this season).

^ and Ella Mogannam too

Alberta 1:50.1

Heyer 1:50.2

At SJS finals

LONG BEACH WILSON GIRLS

3:33.83 4 X 400

STATE RECORD!

It will be very interesting to see how the boys 1600 and 3200 play out at state with the strongest competitors, maximo zavaleta, Aidan Antonio, and cooper stream all doubling(I assume). Stream hasn't raced the other two in quite some time, so he's a bit of a wildcard relative to them, but zavaleta and Antonio have been very close in the 1600, with zavaleta barely beating Antonio at CIF finals and masters, while each has beaten the other in the 3200 at those meets. I predict that Antonio will win the 1600 at state given that he's a miler and has been rapidly improving lately, while zavaleta will win the 3200 based on his strength and kick(as long as it's there). If all 3 are gassed from the 1600, then Montoya will likely win so long as he adopts a better racing strategy than perpetually trying to gap the field the first 7 laps.

She is dual citizen Turkey and USA

For U18 she hit qualifying time. It is up to Turkish federation now.

For U20 she has to hit under 2:09 In world Athletic Sanctioned meet. CIF 2:08 does not count unfortunately

I get the feeling Stream may scratch out of one of those events (I think as far as I’m aware you can scratch an event before the state meet). Fitchen-Young and Morgenfeld scratched the 1600 their junior year to prioritize the 3200.

That last male qualifier in the 1600 is Luke Friedl of JSerra. He got in to the Masters meet as an alternate after the South Pasadena runner dropped the 1600 to concentrate on the 3200. Last week he runs 4:19 and this week he runs 4:11.72 and going to state. Wow.

I’m more interested in how Jaxon Northcutt would do in the 3200. He hasn’t broken that 8:57 curse and I’d love to see just how much more is he capable of in the state meet. He has had quite the jump from sophomore to junior year