2024 California HS XC CIF

Thanks! Who do you coach? How'd your kids run?

Sierra Foothill League had 6 out of the 8 girls teams qualify for State, including 3 Section champs (D1, D2, D3). Same league had 4 boys teams make it and 2 Section champs (D1 & D2). They merged all the best teams into the same league.

I think prior to Liam Anderson winning NxN and the Newberry Park era, people were already getting faster. Idk if you guys know this, but Broen does have the 5k record for 8th graders- 15:23. I feel like these new gen hs runners that we’re talking about on this thread have been slowly getting to the point hs running is at way prior to them being in hs. They’ve been in the works for a while

Is he 20 yet?

When does he turn 20?

Based on this thread, he is turning 19 in 2 days

Ain’t no way this dude is a HS senior and is damn near a year younger than me (I’m a college soph)

^college junior

Yes, agree.

The way MileSplit lists unusual course distances as "2.xx (CC short course)" led me to believe a change had been made. Happy to learn that was not the case.

See the "Trey Caldwell" thread for further discussion on the CCS Champs.

There is lots of talk here about nor cal runners. I think 3 or 4 of them broke the crystal springs course record now. Everyone here is saying they are now the favorite to win the national title. We should first take a look at the numbers before jumping to these conclusions...

We could first use Woodward Park as the baseline for the California region. How many faster or slower is Crystal Springs and Willow Hills than Woodward Park?

CoachB says, "Crystal Springs is 15 faster slower than Woodward and Willow Hills is 30 seconds slower." I think there is definitely some NOR CAL bias here, but sure, whatever.

Woodward Park equivalent.

Eli Fitchen Young - 14:38 (ccs finals conv)

Landon Pretre - 14:39 (ccs finals conv)

Broen Holman - 14:40 (willow hills conv)

Trey Caldwell - 14:42 (crystal springs conv)

Benjamin Bouie - 14:42 (ccs finals conv)

Aydon Stefanopolos - 14:53 (clovis conv)

How does this compare to the rest of the nation?

Most recently, Woodward Park was lowered 2 points in speed ratings, at Rough Rider Invitational. Essentially a 186 = 15:00 Woodward but used to be a 188 at the Clovis Invitational. It could go up or down based on what tully thinks and I trust his judgement more than anyone, he is essentially not biased. He has been doing this for 25+ years and has analyzed every course in detail, so he would know best.

Here would be the new speed ratings assuming we go by the most recent speed rating for woodward park at the rough rider invitational. They could change in the upcoming races as this has happened often.

Eli Fitchen Young - 193.33

Landon Pretre - 193

Broen Holman - 192.77

Trey Caldwell - 192

Ben Bouie - 192

Aydon - 190.33

Combine this with the top southern and central california runner.

Griffin Kushen - 191.4

Tyler Dailak - 188.1

That puts top California runners at - 193.33, 193, 192.77, 192, 192, 191.4, 190.33, 188.1 for top 8 runners this season.

Northwest went - 195, 195, 194, 194, 194, 194, 193, 193, 192 for their top 9 runners in one race.

Midwest went - 197, 196, 195, 194, 193, 191, 190, 190 for their top 8 runners.

Heartland went - 194, 193, 193, 190, 190, 187, 187 for their top 7

There are still the following regions: Southwest, South, Northeast, New York, Southeast left to race.

I would say California boys individuals are in a good spot. They are definitely ahead of heartland individuals but behind Northwest and Midwest (at this time). I believe Southwest and Southeast should put up individual times equivalent to Northwest and Midwest. Anyways, my point is that I think everyone is jumping to conclusions. We still have the state meet and the national meet is what is most important.

All 8 of the individuals you mentioned have a great chance of individually qualifying for NXN along with Eyan Turk and perhaps Evan Noonan. And that's without mentioning many other runners who could realistically have a good enough day to qualify (Remember when Noonan improved from 15:45 to 15:05). I really don't know who to predict. How would anyone (especially Rich Gonzalez) know? How are you guys going to predict?

I would prefer not to have my actual name attached to this account, but we did well! Got a few individuals to the big game.

Woodward times under 15:10 this year:

Griffin Kushen - 14:43

Broen Holman - 14:46

Landon Pretre - 14:51

Aydon Stef - 14:52

Tyler Daillak - 14:53

Dylan Flores - 14:58

Maximo Zavaleta - 14:59

Miles Cook - 15:00

JR Lesher - 15:01

Mason Nguyen - 15:05

Hunter Hannah - 15:06

Arrin Sagiraju - 15:06

Yosef Berhan - 15:09

Not listed: Evan Noonan, Eyan Turk, Benjamin Bouie, Trey Caldwell, Connor Lott, Liam Miller, Zion Ortiz

Pretty insane lineup going into the state meet. You don't just have stars - you have a bunch of storylines as well. The race for the NXN individual spots alone is gonna push these guys past their limit, and then some.

does anyone from CCS know how good Mountain View, Menlo and Bellarmine are at their section finals? Where do they stand on the all-time list?

Mountain View #19 AT (ran #14 earlier this season)

Menlo #1 AT (old course record 76:09 Bellarmine '19)

Bellarmine #46 AT (ran #43 earlier this season)

CoachB, very much appreciate your info & contributions, so have no intention of trying to be snarky or derogatory.

However, I gave up years ago trying to project Woodward Park state meet performances from earlier Crystal Springs CCS or Serra Invite results.

I presume your "15ish seconds faster" comment refers to your athletes over time. Fair enough.

However, for runners mentioned in this thread, the only guy who fits that criterion is Trey Caldwell. In 2023 he ran 14:55 to win Serra Invite @ CS then ran 15:09 to finish 4th in D2 @ WP

Another close fit would be Grant Morganfeld, who last year ran 15:05 to win CCS D2 @ Crystal then 15:21 to finish 8th in D2 @ WP.

However, for Aydon Stefanapoulos, Eli Fitchen-Young, Benjamin Boule, and Landon Pretre, your formula does not apply.

From 2023 when all were juniors:

Aydon: 15:16/CCS then 14:48/State

Eli: 14:55/CCS then 14:49/State

Ben: 15:11/CCS then 15:04/State

Landon: 16:08/CCS then DNR/State

So far in 2024:

Aydon: 14:52/6th/Clovis @ WP and now 14:51/1st/CCS @ CS

These "conversions" are all over the map, even in recent years when weather has been fine and course conditions firm and fast

Frankly, it would be closer to the truth to say equivalent performances from WP to CS is plus/minus 15ish seconds.

Another observation: EF-Y is on a tear. After his 2nd place to Caldwell in 14:47 at the Serra Invite @ CS, he won his league meet in a new CR 14:26/3 miles to win by over a minute. Now, a 79 second win in his D4 CCS race . . . and breaking Caldwell's recent CR by almost 4 seconds to boot.

If Eli runs 6 seconds faster at State a couple weeks hence as he did last year, well, is 14:17 @ WP really possible for a hs boy? Personally, no, don't think so. However, now warming to the notion that German Fernandez's 14:24 CR from 2007 can be reached despite withstanding recent multiple efforts by the Youngs and Sahlmans.

Fantastic CA State Meet approaching. All-time greats running for both boys and girls.

100% agree

Wait there are girls running too? The way you guys all talk it's only boys.

is it just me or is this thread starting to go all over the place? it's getting kind of annoying maybe I am part of the problem idk... there is so much glazing