Countdown to XC Day 24: Sage Creek Girls



There's a lot to like about Sage Creek this fall! The Bobcats did not graduate a single senior from the squad that finished 2nd in Division 4 - and they didn't have any juniors on the team, either. That means they have their top 7 intact and returning for two more seasons, which is one of the widest title windows I have ever seen. That gives the team a chance to address their one weakness: a sharp drop-off in depth after their top 6 runners. Track season brings indications of STRONG improvement team-wide, as this little D4 school ranks 8th across the entire state of California for returning team 1600, and 11th in the 3200. Skyler Wallace showed the way in both the fall and spring, clocking PR's of 10:56 and 5:10 on the track while leading three other teammates under 10 minutes and four under 5:30. Watch out for significant improvement from Lavanya Pandey and Elizabeth Gerhardt, and if Brooklynn Deal can join the top 7 the Bobcats could be favored in Division 4 this fall.



Team Statistics:

  • 5K Improvement Rating: 41st
  • 5K Returning Rankings: 25th
  • 3 Mile Returning Rankings: 41st
  • 3200 Returning Rankings: 11th
  • 1600 Returning Rankings: 8th


The purpose of the Countdown To XC is not to predict the top 30 teams in the state for the upcoming season (although we certainly hope that the top 15-20 teams are included in the countdown at some point). The goal is to recognize thirty teams to watch as cross country begins, using data to uncover squads with strengths that stand out from the pack. The countdown is also not meant to be in a strict order, because it's impossible to sort out several teams of similar strength at this point of the season.