Boys Countdown to XC Day 18: Jesuit

This team has me conflicted. Based on returning XC rankings, it looks like this could be a down year for the Marauders after losing 5 of their top 7 from their Sac Joaquin Section Division 1 champion squad (which finished 5th at the state meet). On the other hand, it would feel really weird to leave them out of the preseason countdown! I have a hard time believing this program will need to go through a rebuilding year; this is a team that traditionally reloads quickly. Track results support that: Jesuit has THREE returning sub-4:20 milers. Spencer Pickren (4:18) moved to Jesuit after running for Folsom last fall, and he will certainly bolster their top 5. Depth is clearly the main focus of this summer, but with another projected senior-heavy roster (aside from Braden King) I expect that's an obstacle they can overcome. I could see this team looking beatable in the early going of the 2019 fall season, but I expect them to be right there in contention when November comes around. However, I do NOT think this will be another dominant Jesuit team, and that could open the door for another SJS team to step through.