Boys Countdown to XC Day 23: Willow Glen

Willow Glen might catch some people off guard here after finishing 17th in last year's Division 2 state meet and losing their #1 runner to graduation. However, the Rams return their other 6 from the squad that finished 3rd in a loaded section race, and they had some very encouraging track results. Devon Nuti led 6 Willow Glen runners under 4:38 for the 1600, which bodes well for both their depth and the tightness of their pack this fall (especially with #6 runner Marco Del Canto posting the team's second-best 1600 this spring). Alex Asch ran 9:37, and he should have plenty of training partners this summer as the team tries to make the jump toward the top 10 in Division 2. This team projects to have solid depth, although they would benefit from their 3-7 runners closing the gap on Asch and Nuti up front. With a solid record of year-to-year improvement, Willow Glen should be a contender again in the Central Coast Section that projects to have several strong teams again this fall.