By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 32nd annual CIF Cross Country State Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 24 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

WOODWARD PARK ALL-TIME TEAM PERFORMANCES

Here are 10 boys storylines to follow at one of the strongest state finals in the country, which also serves as a selection meet to determine the California qualifiers for Nike Cross Nationals:

Great Oak looking to join elite company

Only two boys teams in meet history have won five consecutive titles, but neither has done so in Division 1.

That is the opportunity in front of Great Oak, which is not only looking to become the first Division 1 program to win five championships overall, but is attempting to equal the success of McFarland (1992-96) and Woodcrest Christian (2005-09) by winning five straight.

Woodcrest Christian won all of its titles in Division 5, with McFarland’s championships being achieved in Division 4 and Division 5.

Great Oak, led by Oklahoma commit Tyler Tickner, is also looking to become the eighth boys program in state history to win at least five titles overall. The Wolfpack expect challenges from Dana Hills, Dublin, West Ranch, Jesuit, Long Beach Poly and Bellarmine Prep.

A terrific trio looks to track down Division 3 record

The most anticipated individual battle is the Division 3 showdown involving seniors Liam Anderson of Redwood Larkspur, Kevin Ramos of Rubidoux and Garrett Gough of Nevada Union, all setting their sights on the 2015 division record of 14:45.9 produced by former Brea-Olinda star Austin Tamagno.

Anderson captured the championship last year in 15:10.3, with Ramos placing third in 15:14.9. Gough won the Sac-Joaquin Section crown last season, but didn’t compete in the state final.

Gough’s only setback this season was at Woodward Park, taking second Oct. 12 to Ivan Mendez of Monache at the Roughrider Invitational. But he ran the fastest time of all divisions at the Stanford Invitational, won the Division 3 sweepstakes at the Mt. SAC Invitational, along with producing the fastest overall mark at the Sac-Joaquin Championships to defend his title.

Ramos’ only defeat came against Division 2 title favorite Nico Young of Newbury Park on Sept. 15 at the Woodbridge Classic, but he hasn’t lost in the past two months, including an impressive victory in the Division 1-2 individual sweepstakes at Mt. SAC.

Anderson, who has run a limited schedule in comparison to his peers, clocked 14:57.8 to win Oct. 6 at the ASICS Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park.

The last individual to repeat in Division 3 was Tamagno in 2014-15. Anderson is looking to become the fourth athlete in division history to secure back-to-back titles.

Paradise pair seeking sanctuary

When Gabe Price and Patrick Roehling race in the Division 4 final, it will mark the first time the Paradise High teammates will compete together since Nov. 1 at the Westside League final.

Roehling went on to qualify for the state meet after his 19th-place finish Nov. 8 at the Northern Section final, earning the fifth and last individual berth in his division. But Price’s quest to advance to Woodward Park wasn’t as simple, with the senior not being able to attend the section championship because of the Camp Fire.

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Fortunately, section coaches created an opportunity for Price to run a time trial Nov. 10 at West Valley High in Cottonwood, with him needing to run under the designated cutoff of 17:41 in order to qualify for the state final.

With the assistance of the members of Chico High, the Division 3 section champions led by individual winner Charlie Giannini, Price clocked 17:12 to secure his berth to race again at Woodward Park, along with Roehling.

After training with the Chico athletes in Arcata, Price returned to Oroville to stay with his grandparents, before preparing for the trip to Fresno. Both races will taken on added significance for the Chico and Paradise athletes in the aftermath of the wildfires.

Prince is king of endurance

Orange Glen senior Rashad Prince will participate in one of the most emotional and physically demanding 24-hour periods of his athletic career, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Prince is scheduled to compete at 7 p.m. Friday in the San Diego Section Division 5 football final against Francis Parker, then race at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Division 3 state final in Fresno.

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It marks the first time in his career that he will compete in either championship, but Prince has developed a routine throughout the postseason, balancing quarterfinal and semifinal football games with league and section cross country finals.

It will also be the first time Prince has run on the Woodward Park course during his prep cross country career.

Finding a path to Portland

Great Oak is a significant favorite to make a fourth consecutive trip to Portland for Nike Cross Nationals, but the battle for the other boys automatic qualifier, along with a potential at-large berth, are as competitive as ever, with 11 other teams having the potential to challenge depending on their efforts in the Division 1 and Division 2 finals in the first two races of the meet.

Along with Great Oak, possible Division 1 candidates include Dana Hills, Dublin, West Ranch, Jesuit, Long Beach Poly and Bellarmine Prep. Newbury Park, Claremont, St. Francis Mountain View, La Costa Canyon and Loyola are in the hunt in Division 2.

St. Francis Mountain View, the reigning Division 2 state champion, placed ninth last season at NXN. The Lancers, led by seniors Colton Colonna and Eric Eng, are seeking a fourth state championship, but their first back-to-back crowns.

Dana Hills advanced along with Great Oak in 2015 and 2016, with both teams making the podium three years ago.

Seeking a breakthrough for Bakersfield

Although the city has produced individual state winners, most recently Chris Schwartz of Foothill in Division 1 in 2007, Bakersfield has never crowned a team champion in either gender, a drought that Ridgeview looks to end in the Division 3 final.

Ridgeview placed sixth last year, with West Torrance capturing the title and Palos Verdes placing fourth. The teams met Oct. 19 in the Division 3 sweepstakes race at the Mt. SAC Invitational, with Ridgeview prevailing with 63 points, followed by West Torrance with 71 points and Palos Verdes with 76.

Palos Verdes produced an emotional 82-83 victory Nov. 17 at the Southern Section final over West Torrance, with Ridgeview delivering one of the most dominant performances in Central Section championship history by sweeping the top four spots Nov. 15 with Alex Cuevas, Bryan Gaxiola, Ased Adus and Gerardo Moreno at the Division 3 final.

Ridgeview was among five Bakersfield area teams to win a section championship, but is the one that possesses the strongest chance to secure a state title.

Riding another wave of success

Laguna Beach has won three boys state titles, the last coming in Division 4 in 2009.

But the Breakers have already broken the all-time Division 4 mark on the Woodward Park course this season, running 79:33 on Oct. 12 at the Roughrider Invitational, and could produce the fastest performance in state finals history after an exceptional effort Nov. 17 at the Southern Section championship meet.

Led by individual champion Ryan Smithers, Laguna Beach placed six athletes in the top 13 at the section final and is primed to challenge the state finals record of 79:50 produced by Foothill Tech in 2016.

Sir Francis Drake, JSerra, Foothill Tech, Placer and Sage Creek will all attempt to neutralize Laguna Beach’s impressive pack, but a victory by the Breakers would mark 10 consecutive seasons without a repeat winner in Division 4. Big Bear was the last team to secure back-to-back championships in 2007-08.

Their wait could finally be over

A pair of juniors could end state individual championship droughts for their respective programs, in addition to building momentum for their opportunities to compete at a national final.

Matt Strangio of Jesuit placed fourth in Division 1 last year, but rebounded with a 15th-place effort at Nike Cross Nationals.

Strangio, the reigning state 3,200-meter champion, is looking to become Jesuit’s first individual cross country winner since Matt Farley in Division 2 in 1993.

Nico Young, who placed 15th in the state 3,200 final, was 103rd in the Division 1 state cross country championship in 2016 and Newbury Park didn’t return last season after placing eighth in the Southern Section finals and missing qualifying by one spot.

Young is attempting to become the first Newbury Park male athlete to capture a state crown since Jeff Wilson won Division 3 titles in 1990-91.

Unlike Jesuit, which has won nine team championships, Newbury Park is seeking its first team crown.

Redemption run to potential repeat for Grover

JSerra junior Anthony Grover was slowed by illness at the Southern Section Division 4 final Nov. 17 and finished fourth.

But Grover is motivated to rebound and become the seventh athlete in division history to repeat, including the first since Big Bear’s Caleb Webb in 2013-14.

Another championship for Grover would be the third in four years for JSerra, along with Andrew Burkhardt in 2015.

A third individual crown would place JSerra second in division history, trailing only the five combined championships for Big Bear, including two each from Ryan Hall and Webb, along with one from Chad Hall.

Another Sonoma Academy showcase

Andre Williams placed fourth last year for Sonoma Academy in the Division 5 final, but the senior is even more inspired to capture a title after his race Tuesday at the North Coast Section championship meet was canceled because of air quality issues at Hayward High.

Williams won the Division 5 race Sept. 29 at the Stanford Invitational and placed second to Redwood Larkspur senior Liam Anderson on Oct. 20 at the Mariner Invite, but he’ll receive significant challenges from Southern Section standouts Jackson Adelman of St. Margaret’s, Frank Glantz of Chadwick, Ethan Laubach of Lancaster Desert Christian, along with the Thacher duo of Ford Shaper and Winslow Atkeson.

With Rylee Bowen winning three Division 5 girls championships during her career, Williams is looking to help Sonoma Academy become the fourth program in division history to produce both boys and girls individual winners, joining Marin Academy, Mt. Shasta and St. Joseph Notre Dame.