Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds

Folders

Featured (1691)
All (1826)
 

 

Preview - 10 Girls Storylines to Follow at CIF Cross Country State Championships 2018

Published by
DyeStat.com   Nov 23rd 2018, 2:00am
Comments

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 girls 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:

Sister act bigger, better than ever

Some of the brightest stars at this year’s meet will be accompanied by siblings. In many cases, those sisters are twins. And many will be in contention for state individual and team championships.

Walnut seniors Chloe Arriaga and Emma Arriaga, both UC Davis commits, have guided the Mustangs to their first team appearance at the state championships. The Arriaga sisters will look to both secure all-state performances in the Division 1 final, which also features another set of senior twins in Annie Mitchell and Ruthie Mitchell of Davis Senior.

Senior Peyton Candaele and freshman Devyn Candaele have Vista Murrieta primed for another podium finish in Division 1, with Jaydah Aguilar and Maria Aguilar contributing to Madera South making its first appearance in a girls state final in program history.

The Division 4 final is perhaps the most intriguing of all, with Sage Creek being led by junior Skyler Wallace and freshman Stormy Wallace, competing against Harvard-Westlake freshman Daniela Quintero and sophomore Natalia Quintero. All four athletes will be in contention for the individual title, along with trying to lead their teams to podium finishes.

El Dorado sophomore twins Ava Dufour and Maddie Dufour will also compete in the Division 4 final, along with Marin Catholic sophomore twins Samantha Wallenstrom and Turner Wallenstrom.

They will be joined by Mayfield’s sisters, senior Ellie Kiechler and junior Maggie Kiechler, in addition to Corcoran siblings, sophomore Sherylyn Hernandez and freshman Andrea Hernandez, as well as Piedmont’s sisters, junior Margaret Black and freshman Ellie Black, plus Sutter siblings, senior Mia Ashby and sophomore Sara Ashby.

In the Division 2 championship, fraternal twins Emma Tavella, a UCLA commit, and Kate Tavella lead San Ramon Valley, which is looking to place in the top 10. Serrano also has twins, with juniors Maribel Aguilar and Marisol Aguilar trying to propel the Diamondbacks into the top five.

St. Francis Mountain View relied on the efforts of senior Kate Callon and sophomore Claire Callon to win the Central Coast Section Division 2 title, and junior Zoey Lynd and freshman Kasey Lynd helped El Toro advance to the Division 2 championship by securing the final qualifying berth in the Southern Section.

In addition to challenging for the Division 5 individual title, St. Joseph Notre Dame senior Emily Perez, an Oregon State signee, will compete for the final time with junior sister Danielle Perez and freshman sibling Natalie Perez.

Flintridge Prep will pursue a fifth consecutive Division 5 team championship relying on senior sisters Sasha Codiga and Hope Codiga, with Western Sierra also featuring senior twins Hayley Repetti and Rhiannon Repetti, in addition to Mammoth boasting sophomore twins Emma Dardenne-Ankgringa and Lizzetta Dardenne-Ankgringa, as well as Xavier Prep having sophomore twins Molly May and Savanna May.

In the same race, Village Christian features senior Emme Mattos, along with juniors Katelyn Mattos and Michaela Mattos, with Branson boasting siblings, senior Callie Jones and freshman Ellie Jones, in addition to Convent and Stuart Hall sisters, junior Isabelle Thiara and freshman Madeline Thiara, as well as Durham siblings, junior Taylor Murasko and freshman Mikaela Murasko, plus Foresthill sisters, junior Kiera Odell and sophomore Ellie Odell.

Freshman twins Grace Mazolewski and Olivia Mazolewski of Carondelet will get to experience their first Division 3 final together, along with senior twins Morgan Baseley and Mason Baseley of Palo Cedro Foothill.

They will be joined by Cathedral Catholic’s sisters, junior Maxine Arambulo and freshman Lexi Arambulo, in addition to Moorpark siblings, senior Nevaeh Walla and sophomore Jordyn Walla, as well as Wasco’s sisters, senior Sayra Raya and sophomore Crystal Raya, plus West Torrance siblings, junior Kailey Park and freshman Lindsey Park.

More family matters

Not only is La Costa Canyon senior Kristin Fahy looking to rebound with a strong performance in the Division 2 championship race after not finishing last year’s Division 3 final, but the Stanford commit is also looking to be part of one of the great family legacies in state history.

Darren Fahy, Kristin’s oldest brother, captured the Division 2 title in 2011 and older brother Steven Fahy was a two-time all-state honoree, but no La Costa Canyon female has secured a state individual or team championship in program history.

Austin Fritzke of Mt. Shasta won the Division 5 state title in 2004 and 2005, with sister Katie Fritzke also capturing the Division 5 girls crown in 2004. They are the only brother-sister combination to capture state individual championships in meet history.

La Costa Canyon is also seeking the first team title in either gender under veteran coach Bill Vice after the boys finished second and the girls took third last season in Division 3. The boys team is led by senior twin brothers Garrett Stanford and Jacob Stanford.

A demanding duel for a dynamic double

Whether the Division 1 individual title goes to Great Oak’s Tori Gaitan or Fatima Cortes; or Buchanan’s Corie Smith or Meagen Lowe, either way it could lead to an impressive double for two of the state’s most successful programs.

Should Gaitan or the Cal-bound Cortes capture the individual crown and lead Great Oak to an eighth overall championship, it would mark only the third time in Division 1 that one school would sweep both the individual and team titles.

Destiny Collins achieved the feat for Great Oak in 2015, with Deena (Drossin) Kastor accomplishing the double for Agoura in 1990.

If Smith can repeat, it would mark the first time since Fiona O’Keeffe of Davis Senior captured back-to-back titles in 2013-14. If Lowe prevails, it would be the first time that teammates took two straight Division 1 crowns since Julia Stamps and Trina Cox of Santa Rosa won consecutive championships in 1996-97.

Trying for another terrific trifecta

Ken Reeves is the most successful coach in state history with 14 team championships during his career at Nordhoff and Foothill Tech.

Reeves achieved winning three in a row with the Nordhoff boys in Division 3 from 1993-95, but despite capturing seven career girls team titles, he has yet to secure a three-peat.

Foothill Tech has an opportunity to add that accomplishment to Reeves’ resume with another victory in the Division 4 girls final.

Since Division 4 was added to the state schedule in 1990, only Oak Park (2001-03) and JSerra (2010-12) have secured three straight girls championships.

Foothill Tech, led by St. Mary’s commit Lauren Kearney, will receive a significant challenge from Sage Creek, which took runner-up last year and defeated the Dragons on Oct. 19 at the Mt. SAC Invitational.

Sage Creek, led by sisters Skyler Wallace and Stormy Wallace, is seeking its first title in program history, with the boys taking runner-up in Division 4 in 2016 and the girls placing second last year.

Looking to be the greatest of them all

Great Oak enters the state finals tied with Nordhoff and San Francisco University with 11 combined championships, including seven for the girls.

Not only does the Wolfpack have an opportunity to leave Woodward Park as the most decorated program in state history, but the girls team also has an opportunity to equal Saugus’ state record for consecutive titles with seven by winning the Division 1 crown.

Great Oak, led by Tori Gaitan, Fatima Cortes and Arianna Griffiths, could also distinguish itself from Saugus by achieving the feat in the same division, with the Centurions winning their first two in Division 1, followed by five straight in Division 2.

San Francisco University has a chance to add to its total in both Division 5 finals, but is not considered the favorite in either race.

With another championship, Great Oak’s Doug Soles would become the winningest coach at one school in state history.

Saugus looks to push podium streak another year

Saugus has established a state record for consecutive podium finishes with 12 in a row under coach Rene Paragas, capturing nine girls championships and adding three second-place finishes, including the past two seasons in Division 2.

But the Centurions’ streak will be tested in the Division 2 final, regarded as the deepest state championship competition in the country this year.

In addition to two-time champion Claremont, Saugus will also have to compete against Granada, La Costa Canyon, St. Francis Sacramento, Mission Viejo, Serrano and Anaheim Canyon.

The Centurions will look to senior Jacqueline Cascione, along with talented freshmen Bella Duarte and Brooklyn Bendrat, in order to extend their podium legacy.

The last time Saugus didn’t make the state podium was when the Centurions placed sixth in Division 1 in 2005.

San Francisco University holds the girls all-time state record with 15 podium finishes, including second in Division 5 last year.

Flintridge Prep’s boys have the most podium finishes overall in state history with 16 in Division 5, a total the Rebels look to add to this season after placing fourth last year.

Three-peat would be very sweet

Claremont is looking to join Saugus as only the second girls team in Division 2 history to win at least three in a row.

The Centurions won five consecutive Division 2 titles from 2008-12, part of their overall run of seven straight, which remains the longest streak by any program in state history.

Claremont seniors Haleigh Guerrero, Sydney Hwang, Julia Marriott and Kalinda Reynolds are not only looking to extend the program’s dynasty, but position the team for a return trip to Nike Cross Nationals, with the Wolfpack’s fortunes benefiting this season from the arrival of freshman standout Maddie Coles, who captured the Southern Section title Nov. 17.

After winning its past two championships by at least 30 points, Claremont will have to prevail in perhaps the most challenging state final in Division 2 history. But the Wolfpack demonstrated exactly how impressive its group can be by becoming only the third California team to win the Eastern States Championship race Oct. 13 in New York.

Drive for five faces potential roadblocks

Flintridge Prep matched the dynasty of San Francisco University by winning its fourth consecutive Division 5 girls championship last year.

But in order for the Rebels to set the all-time division record for most consecutive titles, Flintridge Prep will have to run its best race of the year against an exceptional field to preserve its streak.

Haley Allen and Sasha Codiga will look to inspire the Rebels with strong performances up front, looking to hold off the challenges of St. Margaret’s, Lick-Wilmerding and San Francisco University.

University could add to its record with an 11th overall championship, with Lick-Wilmerding and St. Margaret’s both seeking their first state titles.

Determined to deliver a dazzling state debut

Del Oro star Riley Chamberlain is one of several standout freshmen ready to shine in their state championship debuts, but she could be the one making the most history, not only by challenging for a Division 3 title, but also looking to move up the all-time list of ninth-grade performances at Woodward Park.

Chamberlain ran 17:12.7 in the girls championship race Oct. 6 at the ASICS Clovis Invitational, elevating her to the No. 4 all-time freshman performer on the 5,000-meter course.

The only athletes that remain in front of Chamberlain are Simi Valley’s Sarah Baxter, Mission Prep’s Jordan Hasay and Abby Miller of Green Valley NV.

Baxter set the all-time freshman record of 16:57 in the Division 1 final in 2010 on her way to winning the first of four state championships.

The last freshman female athlete to win a state title in any division was Rylee Bowen of Sonoma Academy in Division 5 in 2014. The last ninth-grader to capture a Division 3 state championship was Lindsey Owen of Nordhoff in 2000.

Chamberlain, the Sac-Joaquin winner, will receive a significant challenge from Wisconsin-bound senior Sarah Shulze of Oak Park, the Southern Section champion.

Claremont’s Maddie Coles, Serrano’s Tiani Goeson, Vista Murrieta’s Devyn Candaele, Harvard-Westlake’s Daniela Quintero, Sage Creek’s Stormy Wallace, Granada Hills’ Sofia Abrego, Ponderosa’s Natalie Wieland, St. Francis Sacramento’s Cate Joaquin, West Ranch’s Lexi Fernandez, Mira Costa’s Dalia Frias, La Costa Canyon’s Kyra Compton, Buchanan’s Kaylee Elliott, Clovis West’s Kalei Aoki-Chance, Clovis North’s Miliana Perez, Oakdale’s Haleigh Humble, Anaheim Canyon’s Emma Hadley and Isabella Frisone, and Saugus’ Bella Duarte and Brooklyn Bendrat are all ninth-graders who could have a profound impact in their divisional races, all looking to run under 18 minutes.

Big opportunity for breakthrough performances

Although Oakland Tech didn’t get to run at its section final because of air quality issues as a result of the Camp Fire, the Bulldogs won’t need any extra motivation to prepare for the Division 2 girls final.

Following an 11th-place result last season in Division 1, Oakland Tech is trying to become the first Oakland Section program in either gender to finish in the top 10 in meet history.

The Bulldogs have improved from 19th in 2015, to 17th in 2016, to 11th last year, missing the top 10 in Division 1 by six points.

With Wake Forest commit Caroline Garrett leading the way after she placed 10th in last season’s final, Oakland Tech is primed to produce an impressive showing after placing seventh Oct. 20 in the girls team sweepstakes race – fourth among Division 2 teams – at the Mt. SAC Invitational.

Vista del Lago is another team looking enjoy its best performance at a state final, pursuing its first Division 3 championship.

The Eagles placed second in 2011 and again last year, looking to prevail in an anticipated matchup with six-time champion Palos Verdes. Vista del Lago took second to Palos Verdes in 2011, the last time they shared the podium together.

Anna Vogtmann, Rachel Burgoyne and Natasha Evans lead Vista del Lago against Palos Verdes, which will rely on Savannah Scriven and Samantha Steman in pursuit of its third title in five years.



More news

History for DyeStat.com
YearVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024 1091 354 13762  
2023 5382 1361 77508  
2022 4892 1212 58684  
Show 25 more
 
+PLUS highlights
+PLUS coverage
Live Events
Get +PLUS!