Division 1 Boys
Teams to Watch (Full Rankings)
Last year the Central Section succeeded in its inexplicable quest to stop one of the state's best streaks. The last time there was no McFarland runner at the CIF championship was 2005, but with the 860-student school currently placed in Division 1, where the next-smallest school has 1800 and the largest tops 3000, it's an uphill battle for the Cougars. McFarland currently projects exactly where they finished last season: as the 4th-best returning team in the section, which is frankly remarkable given their size. That could mean a 2nd-straight year that the Cougars don't advance as a team, although they do have individual prospects. Madera South is the clear favorite to win the section finals race, with Clovis the closest competition (but probably entrenched in 2nd). Monache is the team that stands in McFarland's way, and it will be interesting to see if the Cougars can overcome the huge size difference and extend their streak.
Athletes to Watch (Full Rankings)
Eduardo Herrera gets a lot of press, and deservedly so; the Madera South senior is the top returner in the section and cranked out an 8:55 3200 in the spring, putting him among the best in the state no matter how you look at it. Don't let his brilliance cause you to miss out on the talent of his teammates, though, particularly the section's #2 returner Miguel Villar. All he did was run 15:15 last fall and then put up a 9:14/4:17 combo on the track - you know, no big deal, right? Michael Ochoa is no slouch, either, giving the Stallions a legitimate shot to go 1-2-3 at the section finals. Jordan Morris (Clovis) is the top non-Madera South runner returning from last year. Youngsters Jaden Uphoff (Monache) and Stewart Fernandez (Buchanan) showed a lot of improvement during track season, and could challenge the Madera South machine for spots in the top 5. If McFarland can't advance as a team, there's still a good chance that rising sophomore Melicio Gonzalez can get through to states individually.