Newbury Park boys team is entered both in the Sweepstakes AND the rated race. Interesting.
Dana Hills has a strong 1-2, but other than that, I’m not sure if they have what it takes to make the sweepstakes race. If they didn’t make the sweepstakes race, Noonan would need to enter there individually to compete there.
Jesuit CA is not entered in either race. Based on the schedule on their Instagram page, they won’t be doing Woodbridge
A few schools will have teams in both.
Yes. Like Herriman running their A team in Sweepstakes and B team in rated.
I honestly don’t think that Newbury Park should be in the sweepstakes this year. They lost 2 great senior classes in a row. They took a big step back from 2022 to 2023 and it looks like they will take another big step back this year. One of their top guys (Herrera) isn’t running for high school anymore.
If Dana Hills ends up in the sweepstakes race, I’m 100% ok with that because then, Noonan will get to compete against the best while still competing for his team. They lost a lot from last year, but they still have a solid 1-2 and have some sophomores and juniors who had a good track season and I’m guessing can take a big jump; they will just need 3 of them to do that.
Although I did have El Toro and Ploy ranked #36 and #37.
I made my list as a relative strength list based purely on numbers. I didn't adjust any positioning because I personally think one team might get much better or any other reason.
A couple of interesting girls teams in the sweeps race...
Carson (NV): Average 1600m time of 5:31.4 for their top 5 last year. Lifetime personal bests average at 5:25.37. Even if all of the times were run in Carson, altitude conversion only goes down to 5:24.5 Skyridge (UT): Average 1600m time of 5:35.38.
Barring an impact transfer, these seem out of place...
As demonstrated by Arcadia last year, Rich weighs out of team states and and athletes VERY heavily, even more so if the team is at altitude
Yes. Like Herriman running their A team in Sweepstakes and B team in rated.
I honestly don’t think that Newbury Park should be in the sweepstakes this year. They lost 2 great senior classes in a row. They took a big step back from 2022 to 2023 and it looks like they will take another big step back this year. One of their top guys (Herrera) isn’t running for high school anymore.
If Dana Hills ends up in the sweepstakes race, I’m 100% ok with that because then, Noonan will get to compete against the best while still competing for his team. They lost a lot from last year, but they still have a solid 1-2 and have some sophomores and juniors who had a good track season and I’m guessing can take a big jump; they will just need 3 of them to do that.
For the Newbury Park boys team, the best thing they can compete for is qualifying for the state meet, and even that will be tough.
For the girls team, it’s getting through section prelims
This is not to nitpick, but more for if someone involved with the meet reads this, but I think it is 3 updates in a row with Corona del Mar listed in the team sweepstakes, and their #1 runner listed as an individual. That seems like one more spot available for an individual. If he is running separately from the team for some reason, then CDM is nowhere near a sweepstakes team, so I don't think that is the case. In any case, I hope someone from the meet double checks that, and maybe another runner gets in.
37 Entries in Boys Sweeps and Rated is the most ever done at Woodbridge beating their 34 Entries last year.
In the recent past they were only doing like 28-32. Definitely huge growth shown here with national focus being put on it
37 is insane. How are this many teams (plus individuals from other teams) gonna fit on the same starting line?
Due to some changes that the park made, they have to put the start area in a different place this year. So maybe the start area will be a little bigger than it was last year.
Redondo Union boys handily beats Jserra and Mira Costa. Hopefully they consider to move up to the sweepstakes to represent california teams. we will need all the good teams we can get
Made a preseason list of every team that should be invited to the sweepstakes.
Southwest Hamilton - Rock Canyon - Herriman - Desert Hills - Orem - Skyridge -
Southeast Greer Middle College Charter -
Northwest Coeur d’Alene - Crater - Mercer Island -
South Southlake Carroll - The Woodlands -
California Great Oak - ML King - Buchanan - Arnold O. Beckman - Jesuit SJ - Mira Costa - Jserra - Tesoro - Hart- Oaks Christian -
Please Rich Gonzalez don't leave out any good team this year like you did with Austin Vandegrift last year, thanks!
Oaks Christian is probably a Rated team this year. Doesn't seem like the transfer rumor was true based on a Westcoast XC article I read last night unless the "new" runner was just not at the practice session they had when the article was being made.
They'll probably be a favorite to win that race though if their 5th made good improvement. Even just a low 16 minute time with their top 4 dropping sub 15 times would be enough to win as long as another Austin Vandegrift situation doesn't occur.
Oaks Christian will beat Newbury Park to win the Marmonte League Finals this year. And as I said, NP should be in the rated race at the most.
Oaks Christian had no seniors last year and their #5 was a freshman. Many people make huge jumps between freshman and sophomore year, so if he can step up, I think they can podium at state in d4
The fact that several teams that belong in the sweepstakes race chose to do the rated race gives room for more teams in the sweepstakes race
Why would anyone do this? Seriously coaches stop being so soft.
They do it because it's more fun to have a good chance to win the rated race then to be on the start line of the sweepstakes race knowing that your team might not even finish in the top 30.
Winning a race is more fun than getting blown away.
Why would anyone do this? Seriously coaches stop being so soft.
They do it because it's more fun to have a good chance to win the rated race then to be on the start line of the sweepstakes race knowing that your team might not even finish in the top 30.
Winning a race is more fun than getting blown away.
not going to be easy to win the rated this year. Assuming Vacaville, Clovis North and Redondo Union all decide to stay in the rated, it's going to be competitive. Those are some very solid teams.
Why would anyone do this? Seriously coaches stop being so soft.
They do it because it's more fun to have a good chance to win the rated race then to be on the start line of the sweepstakes race knowing that your team might not even finish in the top 30.
Winning a race is more fun than getting blown away.
If they are stepping out of the sweepstakes race they won't win the rated race. You were deemed ready to be in sweepstakes then you should go in that. It will be the biggest race any of these kids will probably be in and taking that away from them because they are scared of the competition isn't good coaching.
