St Francis (SJS) had only one senior on varsity this year and finished 2nd in D3 at Woodward Park. I'd put good money on them. But JSerra of course.
El Toro has no seniors and returns entire squad that won last year (D2) and this year (D3). They also have some runners on frosh/soph that may make the jump to varsity.
On of El Toro biggest assets is there 5,6, and 7 were interchangeable this past season.
Good example of how valuable a 5 runner is this year Santa Margarita's went 1/2 and the SS final and were one second apart. At the state meet they went 3/5 and were 22 seconds apart, yet there was on one runner between them. Now if you go any 5 runner and see how many runners are in that 22 second gap. 20/30?
Most teams are good through 5 and then big drop off to 6 and 7. For El Toro it's 3 to 10 seconds and those last three battling to be #5 which is a good thing.
Also Santa Margarita returns most of there squad in including their 1and 2.
El Toro’s strength was not in their 5, 6, and 7 but in their 1-4. If they keep that 1-4 healthy then they will be good and D3 will be challenging for everyone once again.
El Toro’s strength was not in their 5, 6, and 7 but in their 1-4. If they keep that 1-4 healthy then they will be good and D3 will be challenging for everyone once again.
I agree, their top for are very good, but without that 5,6 and 7 they don't win.
Just go back to last year's Montgomery, Santa Rosa. They may have had the best 1,2, 3 in California yet they had no 4 or 5. They put 3 in the top five last year and ended up at the bottom of standings.
Look back at the history of this sport without a good five teams don't win. No matter how good the top 4 are. Just look Washington State during Henry Rono's time there.They had a great top four but no fifth that could help them win.
I agree, their top for are very good, but without that 5,6 and 7 they don't win.
Just go back to last year's Montgomery, Santa Rosa. They may have had the best 1,2, 3 in California yet they had no 4 or 5. They put 3 in the top five last year and ended up at the bottom of standings.
Look back at the history of this sport without a good five teams don't win. No matter how good the top 4 are. Just look Washington State during Henry Rono's time there.They had a great top four but no fifth that could help them win.
You are right. In 2025 ncaa they would just recruit an East African to help Henry and the guys out.
El Toro’s strength was not in their 5, 6, and 7 but in their 1-4. If they keep that 1-4 healthy then they will be good and D3 will be challenging for everyone once again.
I agree, their top for are very good, but without that 5,6 and 7 they don't win.
Just go back to last year's Montgomery, Santa Rosa. They may have had the best 1,2, 3 in California yet they had no 4 or 5. They put 3 in the top five last year and ended up at the bottom of standings.
Look back at the history of this sport without a good five teams don't win. No matter how good the top 4 are. Just look Washington State during Henry Rono's time there.They had a great top four but no fifth that could help them win.
ET's 5 got beat by 2nd places 5 and 6. Their 1-4 scored 45 points, their 5 alone scored 43 points by herself. 1-4 is their strength. 4th was in 27th place, their 5th was in 60th place.
I agree, their top for are very good, but without that 5,6 and 7 they don't win.
Just go back to last year's Montgomery, Santa Rosa. They may have had the best 1,2, 3 in California yet they had no 4 or 5. They put 3 in the top five last year and ended up at the bottom of standings.
Look back at the history of this sport without a good five teams don't win. No matter how good the top 4 are. Just look Washington State during Henry Rono's time there.They had a great top four but no fifth that could help them win.
ET's 5 got beat by 2nd places 5 and 6. Their 1-4 scored 45 points, their 5 alone scored 43 points by herself. 1-4 is their strength. 4th was in 27th place, their 5th was in 60th place.
#5 runners will always add the most point for a team. But if you don't take my opinion how valuable they are maybe NxN will convince you:
championship meet features a special accolade called the "Golden Anchor" award, which is specifically presented to the top four number five runners in each race (boys and girls). This award highlights the importance of every runner on a scoring team, as cross country is a sport where team scores are determined by the finishing positions of the top five runners from each club. The lowest score wins, similar to golf.
I'm in no way saying that a strong #5 is important and El Toro won so it worked out for them. But their number 5 was beat by both the second and fourth place team's number 5. Their number 6 would have done the job and they still would have won. Their tight #1 through #4 is what got it done and gave them the point gap on everyone else.
The time gap from their #1 to their #4 was just 34 seconds. The gap from just their #4 to their #5 was 30 seconds.
I agree, their top for are very good, but without that 5,6 and 7 they don't win.
Just go back to last year's Montgomery, Santa Rosa. They may have had the best 1,2, 3 in California yet they had no 4 or 5. They put 3 in the top five last year and ended up at the bottom of standings.
Look back at the history of this sport without a good five teams don't win. No matter how good the top 4 are. Just look Washington State during Henry Rono's time there.They had a great top four but no fifth that could help them win.
You are right. In 2025 ncaa they would just recruit an East African to help Henry and the guys out.
Go read history. This East African nonsense isn't new. Washington State had 4. Just not 5.
El Toro and St. Francis are both D3 and the competition against each other will make them run faster at the state meet, thus putting themselves in a good position in the state meet merge. I think these teams can challenge for an NXN bid, because every year it seems that JSerra returns a really good group, but they end up having some of their top runners injured and end up not doing well at NXN
El Toro and St. Francis are both D3 and the competition against each other will make them run faster at the state meet, thus putting themselves in a good position in the state meet merge. I think these teams can challenge for an NXN bid, because every year it seems that JSerra returns a really good group, but they end up having some of their top runners injured and end up not doing well at NXN
I agree. St. Francis only loses their #6 and El Toro has their whole team back.
The big IF is going to be St. Francis' #1 Gutierrez. Will she improve or become like Buchanan's Gutierrez. She was Buchanans #1 at NXN in 2024 as a freshman. This year she Buchanan's #6 or #7 running almost a minute slower at state than the previous year.
I hope St. Francis' Gutierrez improves and doesn't get that body change that devastates many freshman girls.
Let's hope more Jserra gals take the summer Wilson path and stop running for chase. They all end up hurt under his lack of guidance and focus on recruiting.