State Meet -- 10 Storylines to Follow

By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

1. The road to a repeat, recovery or respect?

There hasn’t been an individual who has won back-to-back Division I girls state titles since Laguna Creek’s Rachel Bryan in 2002-03. Davis junior Fiona O’Keeffe is looking to defend her championship, but she will have to hold off resurgent Great Oak junior Destiny Collins and Palisades senior Marissa Williams in order to do so. Collins won the Clovis Invitational in 16:57 on Oct. 4, becoming the seventh female to break 17 minutes on the Woodward Park course, with O’Keeffe taking second in 17:07. O’Keeffe won the rematch on Oct. 25 at the Mt. SAC Invitational, with Collins slowed by tendinitis in her left foot. After missing a month of competition to rehabilitate her foot, Collins returned to win the Southern Section Division I title Nov. 22 at Mt. SAC. O’Keeffe repeated as Sac-Joaquin Section champion Nov. 15, improving on her own Willow Hills course record by 22 seconds, clocking 16:57. Williams broke her own Pierce College course record by clocking 16:33 to capture another City Section championship. Great Oak has three state team titles, but has yet to crown an individual winner. The City Section has never produced an individual cross country champion, but the Cal-bound Williams is the best prospect.

2. They finally meet

After a season of dominating the Division III competition in their respective sections, the girls teams at Campolindo and Palos Verdes will square off for the first time in one of the most anticipated matchups of the meet. Campolindo is the defending champion and Palos Verdes last won in 2011. Campolindo, led by Brighie Leach, Toni Finnane and Mary Orders, won the North Coast Section title Nov. 22 by placing all five scorers in the top 10. Palos Verdes, led by Jacquelyn Smith, Cassidy Webber and Camille Hines, won its fourth Southern Section championship in five years. Smith, a transfer from Marymount, and Finnane – a first-year runner after playing soccer – could have a profound impact on the race’s outcome.

3. Seeking his place in history

Brea-Olinda junior Austin Tamagno enters the Division III state final unbeaten and the heavy favorite to win his first championship after placing third last year. Tamagno set the Mt. SAC course record Oct. 25 by clocking 14:23 and captured the Southern Section title Nov. 22. South Pasadena’s Sam Pons set the division record in 2010 by clocking 15 minutes flat. That same year, Buchanan’s C.J. Albertson set the state meet junior record with a mark of 14:51. Both are in jeopardy, as well as Brea-Olinda going after Palos Verdes' division record of 78:46 in 2009.

4. Small school supremacy settled once and for all

Flintridge Prep and Mayfield are both seeking their first Division V girls state championship. The Prep League rivals are meeting for the sixth time this season, with Flintridge Prep winning the past three showdowns – including the Southern Section title Nov. 22 – after Mayfield prevailed at the Stanford Invitational and Clovis Invitational. The rivals have demonstrated to be even through three runners – with Mayfield led by Emily Serhan and Flintridge Prep by Natalie O’Brien – but it has been Flintridge Prep’s depth that has been the difference at the Mt. SAC Invitational, Prep League final and Southern Section championship.

5. A sweeping sensation

Bishop Amat swept the Southern Section Division IV boys and girls titles Nov. 22 at Mt. SAC and could be the first program since Oak Park in 2002 to win both Division IV state championships. Ally Palomino and Emily Hubert lead the Bishop Amat girls, who look to hold off three-time champion JSerra and Central Section power Central Valley Christian. Robbie Santoyo will spark the Bishop Amat boys, who will be challenged by Covina and King City. Great Oak also has the potential to sweep the Division I state titles and Flintridge Prep could pull off the sweep in Division V.

6. The life of Rylee

The last nine Division V girls state titles belong to three individuals – Mission Prep’s Jordan Hasay, Marin Academy’s Lucy McCullough and Branson’s Julia Maxwell – and another impressive championship reign could be ready to start for Sonoma Academy freshman Rylee Bowen. After leading the Coyotes to their first North Coast Section title Nov. 22, Bowen will look to secure the championship in her first season like Hasay did in 2005. She will be challenged by Mayfield’s Emily Serhan and Marin Academy’s Bevin McCullough, but the state’s next rising star is ready to be crowned.

7. What will they do for an encore?

Burroughs captured its first Southern Section Division I boys title Nov. 22 by knocking off Dana Hills and Great Oak. Ventura edged Jurupa Hills for the Division II championship. Xavier Prep held off Flintridge Prep for the Division V crown. None of the newly crowned winners have secured a state title, making the challenge of backing up their performances at Mt. SAC with great efforts at Woodward Park even more difficult. Great Oak was unbeaten until last week and will look to bounce back to win its first state title. Jurupa Hills is motivated to capture the Division II state championship this year after securing the Division III state title last season. And Xavier Prep must defeat two-time champion St. Joseph Notre Dame and four-time winner Flintridge Prep to earn its first state crown.

8. Elite eight

Only four programs in state history have won at least eight state titles, San Francisco University’s girls with 10 and the Jesuit and McFarland boys with nine apiece. Saugus, which had its run of seven consecutive girls state championships halted last season by Simi Valley, is in position to move into sole possession of second place on the girls list behind University with its eighth state title – including its sixth in Division II – if the Centurions can defeat Capistrano Valley and Serrano again. Samantha Ortega is also in contention to become Saugus’ third individual state champion, joining Shannon Murakami (2005) and Kaylin Mahoney (2008).

9. Record run

Saugus’ course record of 89:25 set in 2010 could be in jeopardy with Great Oak in the Division I girls final. With the return of Destiny Collins and the Wolfpack placing five runners in the top seven at the Southern Section championship meet, not only does it appear Great Oak will produce the lowest score ever at the Division I state final – Agoura had 41 points three times – but possibly run the fastest time at Woodward Park. Great Oak clocked 89:28 last season and 89:43 at the Clovis Invitational for the second- and third-fastest girls times on the course.

10. Hometown heroes

Led by Immanuel’s Kasey Knevelbaard and the Madera South boys team, it could be another impressive day for Central Section standouts on their home course. Knevelbaard will battle 2012 state champion Trevor Reinhart of Marin Academy as well as Flintridge Prep’s Jack Van Scoter in the Division V boys final. Madera South, which has won seven section championships, is seeking its first Division I state title after taking second to Arcadia last year. Clovis North, which ended Buchanan’s run of 14 Central Section Division I girls titles, could secure a podium spot behind Great Oak. Central Valley Christian, which moved up from Division V this season, could still place in the top three in the Division IV girls final after producing a perfect score of 15 at the section championship meet.