DIVISION I BOYS
Teams to Watch (Full Rankings)
Buchanan was an 18-point champion at last years CIF-CS D-I final but graduated the bulk of the team that also placed 9th at State. It was the fifth section title for the Buchanan boys and first since 2010. Section runner-up Clovis North returns six of seven from the section final, including four of the five scorers. Newcomer Paso Robles was 5th in the Southern Section D-II and returns four of five scorers and six of seven. Running on the flat 3-mile Riverside Championship course, Paso Robles posted a 0:31 1-5 split and a 15:49 average. Its returning average time for 3 miles is 15:51.02, which projects third behind Clovis North and Stockdale. Change the distance to 5K and Paso Robles is projected first, ahead of Clovis North, Clovis High, Stockdale and Buchanan, in that order. Others not to overlook include Madera South, Redwood, and McFarland.
Athletes to Watch (Full Rankings)
Stockdale senior Marcus Mota is the defending section champion. He went on to place 18th at State last November and is the No. 5 returner overall in D-I. Clovis North junior Isaiah Galindo was 2nd to Mota by 10.40 seconds at last fall's section final. Redwood senior Bailey Darnell is the No. 3 returner from the section final with a pair of Buchanan runners right behind in senior Dustyn McKenney and junior Kelly Brewer. Sophomore Bo Olsen gives the defending champs a solid top three. Darnell opened 2018 with a strong 9:26 2-mile to win at Dinuba by nearly 19 seconds over good competition. Mota has a 5K best of 15:30.50, Galindo has gone 15:40.90, and Paso Robles senior Pablo Cortes has gone 15:47.84. Mota's time ranks 15th in the state among returning boys and his 14:29.70 3-mile time from Woodbridge ranks No. 7. Clovis North, the team runner-up in the division, returns two who placed among the top 20 at the section final in juniors Nick Carter (15th) and Thomas Allen (19th). Clovis High also has two returners from the top 20 in juniors Bryan Trujillo and Fernando Sandoval. Clovis West junior Pierson Lamborn (13th) and Madera South senior Victor Ochoa (14th) also return after placing among the top 20 last fall. The top returners for Paso Robles are seniors Pablo Cortes (15:47.84 for 5K) and Steven Scruggs (16:19.21) and junior Damian Gavilan (16:15.70).