Southern Section Boys XC Season Preview

Just How Good will Newbury Park be?
A year ago, we provided you with the insight that Claremont's depth was going to need to overcome Newbury Park's strong front runners if they planned on defending their title.  That vision came to fruition as the Panthers' Nico Young led one of the best trios in the Southern Section to the Division 2 section and state title, holding off a tough and deep Claremont squad.  They easily advanced onward to NXN where they placed an even more impressive sixth place as a unit.  They return five from that squad including four of their top five from that NXN performance.  Young is coming off one of the top junior track seasons in national history, with an 8:40.00 national-leading effort in the 3200 which was en route to him earning the state title for the event.   To have two boys qualify for the state meet out of the section in the 3200 is incredible enough but to have both be underclassmen is unprecedented.  Jace Aschbrenner rolled to 9:05 this past track season and placed 11^th at the State Meet and has been training with Young on a consistent basis.  With the top freshman time in the nation for the 1600 meters (4:15.14), sophomore Colin Sahlman is ready to close the gap with those two along with Nicholas Goldstein (15:12 at the '18 finals).  Sahlman was the MileSplitCA Boys Freshman of the Year in 2018. Like Great Oak, this squad will not just settle with Division and State titles!   With Nico Young one of the favorites for the NXN individual title and on a quest to continue to build his resume as one of the best ever in California prep history (national perhaps) -- anticipation continues to build between Great Oak and Newbury Park competing on the national stage together!   

Can Anybody Stay with Newbury Park in Division 2?
After just missing a bid to NXN in 2018, Dana Hills moves into Division 2 for the first time. They placed second at the 2018 Division 1 finals and third at the California State Meet.  With Carrick Denker leading the way, the Dolphins have qualified for the California State Meet for the past 13 seasons in a row with top-three team finishes over the past six seasons.  This was all in Division 1 but there's not any drop off whatsoever in top-tiered talent in Division 2!  Brandon Pizano and Gianni Viola will providing added support to Denker.     

Claremont will qualify for their sixth consecutive trip to Fresno as they have placed in the top three the past three seasons, with a title in 2017.   Expect a slower start from Claremont this season but be rest assured that they will be at their best in November.  Jack Keough Lansford, Adam Trafecanty and Jaden Clark will lead their squad back to the State Meet.      

El Toro is seeking their third straight trip to the State Meet after placing fourth in Division in 2018.  Mitch Groff will be joined up front with Juan Torres Mondragon and Daniel Guzman as they return four of their top five from the State Meet squad that placed ninth. Groff was tenth at the divisional finals.      

Who's Most Likely to Earn those remaining three spots to the State Meet?
Redlands East Valley returns most of their squad that placed ninth at the divisional finals a year ago.  With five of their top six returning, Matthew Casillas and Simon Opsahl look to lead this squad to their first ever State Meet berth.  

After a three-year hiatus over to Division 3 (which yielded the Warriors two titles and a runner-up effort in 2018), West Torrance has made the trip back to Division 2.  They captured the title for this division in 2015.  Seemingly without anybody returning from 2017, they almost pulled off the Division 3 title a year as they one of those programs that always reloads, despite graduations.  Jake Parker leads the West Torrance group in 2019.  Transferring over from Chadwick, Alex Mainvielle may also be in the mix (although he took XC off a year ago to focus elsewhere).  

Thousand Oaks put it all together in 2018 for a fifth-place finish at the divisional finals.  Then junior, Michael Mireles improvement secured that accomplishment as he placed fifth at the 2018 finals before making the podium with a tenth place finish at the California State Meet.  Back to lead the 2019 squad, he is coming off a 9:07 best in the 3200 meters while just missing the state meet in the event. 

The Loyola Cubs have their work cut out for them if they are to continue their string of 12 straight seasons of qualifying for the State Meet.  That span also includes six straight seasons of placing in the top five.  BUT ... arguably, no program rebuilds and improves talent on a year-to-year basis than the Cubs.  Loyola presented one of the best freshman classes for the 1600 this past track season.  Anthony Stone is their stalwart as he looks to makes his fourth straight trip to Fresno.  

Other Top Returners:

• West Torrance's Jake Parker was one of the most improved runners in California as he improved from a 4:25 to a 4:12, where he qualified to the State Championships finals in the 1600 meters.  He also improved by 45-seconds in the 3200, coming into this Cross Country season with a 9:10 best.  

• Dana Hills' Carrick Denker stepped up to place 21st at the Division 1 State Meet with a time of 15:32.  But, he stepped it up to the next level this past Track season with a 4:13.56 and qualified for the State Meet in the 1600 meters.  He rolled to a 9:18 earlier in the season.   

• El Toro's Mitch Groff was tenth at last year's divisional finals and was the fourth fastest underclassman (14:58) at last year's divisional finals.   He brings in back-to-back State Meet experience. 
• Loyola's Anthony Stone is coming off a great track season after placing 18th at last year's Division 2 finals.  He qualified for the State Meet with a 4:14 performance in the 1600 meters last Spring.