As was the case with the San Francisco Section, unhealthful air quality as a result of smoke from the Camp Fire that destroyed Paradise, forced the cancellation of the Oakland Section Cross Country Championships.
Lingering smoke forced Air Quality Index levels above what is determined to be safe for outdoor activity the weekend before and the first part of the week leading into the State Championships. Oakland and San Francisco were forced to cancel. Central Coast conducted its meet on a Sunday. The North Coast Section moved its meet to the Tuesday before the State Championships and even then, AQI levels elevated above acceptable levels midway through and the meet had to be stopped exactly halfway through the 10-race schedule.
In Oakland, Caroline Garrett (pictured #1005 above) was not given an opportunity to defend her section title. Neither was the Oakland Technical girls team allowed to try to extend its section title streak, nor was the Skyline boys team provided a chance to defend the section crown it won in 2017.
Because of the championship meet cancelation, the section determined which teams and individuals would 
advance to the State Meet. The Oakland Technical girls and Skyline boys were waived onto Fresno. As were the following individual representatives: Eleanor Wikstrom (Skyline) among the girls, and William Webster (Oakland Tech), Ben Nicholas (Oakland Tech), Nathan Lee (Oakland Tech, pictured), Alejandro Leon (Oakland Charter), and Emerson Velasquez (American Indian) among the boys. The latter two competed in Division V while everyone else slotted into Division II.
