Returning Team and Individual Champions Promise Fast Racing At 43rd Woodbridge Cross Country Classic

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Ken Martinez photos

Excitement is building all week for one of the largest high school cross country meets in the country, coming Friday and Saturday at Great Park in Irvine, Calif. 

Last year's team champions, who also happened to be the Nike Cross Nationals champions, plus the two individual winners of the sweepstakes races, are back. 

WATCH THE 43rd WOODBRIDGE CROSS COUNTRY CLASSIC FRIDAY AND SATURDAY LIVE ON RUNNERSPACE (+PLUS required)

1 - The Herriman boys. The defending Nike Cross Nationals champions made history last December when they became the first team from Utah to win the title. Well in 2024, the team is even better. Three of the team's scorers are back and the addition of a couple of key transfers has made this team an easy pick as No. 1. Herriman, also the defending champion at Woodbridge, will face top competition from Southlake Carroll TX , Coeur d'Alene ID, Crater OR and Great Oak CA. 

2 - Air Academy vs Buchanan girls. The defending Nike Cross Nationals champion girls team from Colorado (also the defending Woodbridge champion) will face an elite sweepstakes field that includes Buchanan. It's a clash of teams that are both ranked in the top three. In addition, Santiago (Corona) CA, J Serra Catholic CA and Trabuco Hills CA are also national top 10 teams and threats to win the team race. 

3 - Defending champion Evan Noonan. The senior from Dana Hills CA ran the third-fastest time in meet history last year when he won in 13:41.7. This year he will open his season again at Woodbridge, taking on a national-class field that includes DyeStat No. 1 Josiah Tostenson of Crater OR, No. 9 Tayvon Kitchen of Crater OR, No. 11 Owen Powell of Mercer Island WA, No. 14 Caden Leonard of Southlake Carroll TX, No. 17 Broen Holman of Sonora CA and No. 23 Corbin Coombs of Organ Mountain NM. Leo Young's 2021 meet record could be within grasp. 

4 - Defending champion Jane Hedengren. Last year, the standout from Timpview UT edged eventual Foot Locker champion Elizabeth Leachman by a tenth of a second in a fantastic finish. The winning time of 15:32.5 is the fastest 3-mile cross country time ever recorded by a U.S. prep girl. Hedengren, now a senior, is back to take on another stellar field, and ranked No. 3 to open the fall. She will go up against No. 4 Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura CA, No. 10 Rylee Blade of Santiago (Corona) CA, No. 11 Jaelyn Williams of Eastlake CA, No. 13 Holly Barker of Trabuco Hills CA, No. 14 Hanne Thomsen of Montgomery CA, No. 15 Chiara Dailey of La Jolla CA and No. 16 Sophia Rodriguez of Mercer Island WA. 

5 - Cast of Thousands. The gigantic meet begins on Friday and there are a total of 52 races on the schedule with 482 schools represented. A grand total of 15,415 athletes are entered to run at this year's meet. (Perhaps you know one of them.)