DIVISION I BOYS
Teams to Watch (Full Rankings)
Jesuit has won 26 overall section titles, 10 Division I titles and nine state titles. Davis Senior has claimed 11 section titles, all in D-I. But it was a senior-dominated McClatchy quintet that broke up the Jesuit-Davis monopoly. It was only the program's third section title and first since going back-to-back in 1958-59. A return to business as usual is expected this fall, with 2018 projections ranking Jesuit securely ahead of runner-up Davis Senior and that's before figuring Rio Americano transfer Chase Gordon into the mix. Cosumnes Oaks, Lodi and Sheldon all project to be able to push Davis for that No. 2 spot behind Jesuit.
Athletes to Watch (Full Rankings)
Matt Strangio proved to be talented beyond his years, winning the D-I title, showing well at Nike Cross Nationals (15th out of 199 finishers and the top sophomore finisher), and carrying that success into the spring where he dramatically out-sprinted the top 3200-meter runner in the state to claim the eight-lap title. What possibly could Strangio do for an encore in this, just his junior season? Strangio is the top D-I returner and the only one among the top 12 from the State final, where he placed 4th, running the No. 4 returning returning 5K time in the state (15:15.50). The next highest returner from the section is Jesuit senior Colin Ryan (59th in 16:13.40; No. 20 returner). Ryan was 9th at the SJS final and is the No. 3 returner. Others to watch from Jesuit: seniors Miles Worthen (16:28.90 5K PR) and Antonio Vargas (16:34.90). Vargas was 19th at the SJS final and is the No. 6 returner. And then there's Gordon, a junior, who was 3rd in the D-III final last year for Rio Americano (16:35.20). That time would have placed him 9th at last year's D-I final, just a head of Ryan. Elsewhere, Modesto senior Fernando Alan Guerrero (16:35.10 from the State final) was 8th at the section final and is the top returner after Strangio. Sheldon junior Patrick McGonigle (16:44.60 at State) is the No. 4 returner from the section final. Armijo senior Nixon McKenzie (16:44.60 at the SJS final) is the No. 5 returner. Overall, there are five returners from the top 15 at last year's section final. The top returners for Davis include junior Zeno Castiglioni and seniors Bryce Gregg and Kyle Henricson.