DIVISION IV
Amir Barkan (3408) of Sir Francis Drake placed 14th at Clovis in a 5K PR of 15:23.40 running solo in the Championship Boys field. (Credit: DeAnna Turner)
BOYS
1. Sir Francis Drake (NC) - Missing three top-seven runners at Clovis, so we're choosing to take that result with a grain of salt. These top two places could easily be switched, though, and we'll be watching future results closely.
2. Scotts Valley (CC) - Best D-IV team at Clovis, averaging 16:22.7 and grading out 22nd against all divisions. This team is very strong and seems to be improving steadily. Legit title contender.
3. Foothill Tech (SS) - Good performance in Clovis, but they just aren't quite as deep as the two teams in front of them thus far, which makes a big difference in the championship season.
4. Cathedral (SS) - Ran well in Clovis, but were unable to hang with Foothill Tech and Scotts Valley. Is this who they are, or was that a bit of an off day? Time will tell, but we still believe that this team will be in the hunt at Southern Section Finals and the State Meet.
5. South Pasadena (SS) - Actually edged Cathedral in Clovis, and could continue to move up with more strong performances.
6. Laguna Beach (SS) - Off this past weekend, so we will be looking forward to seeing their next major race to see if they can bring it all together on the same day.
7. King City (CC) - Also out of competition last Saturday, and therefore no change. Could the Bay Area put three teams in the top 5 at the State Meet?
8. JSerra (SS) - Competitive with Cathedral and South Pasadena in Clovis, but I'm deeply worried about their depth; they only seem to be six deep in varsity runners right now, which could be problematic in championship meets. If those six hold up, or they have reinforcements, they could be top five by season's end.
9. Acalanes (NC) - Haven't raced for two weekends now which could be a significant training advantage - can't wait to see them back in action to back up those fast 5K times.
10. Fillmore (SS) - Bumped down by a few teams jumping into the rankings, but still a real contender in the Southern Section postseason.
GIRLS
1. Sage Creek (SD) - Off last week, but still the team to beat, and could be top 10 in the state overall (regardless of division).
2. Menlo School (CC) - Also no major invitationals last week, so I look forward to seeing what their training leads to when they return to the course on Friday at Woodward Park for Rough Rider.
3. Orange Lutheran (SS) - The best D-IV girls team in Clovis, earning them a one-spot improvement in the rankings. Right now, though, there is a solid gap between the top two teams and the rest of the field (but see below).
4. Laguna Beach (SS) - Off last weekend, they do benefit from one team dropping down the rankings just a bit.
5. Mayfield (SS) - Great performance at Clovis, nearly bumping off Lutheran, earns them a big jump into the rankings. This is shaping up to be a great battle in the Southern Section!
6. Marin Catholic (NC) - Although Mayfield leapfrogged them, this team ran very well in Clovis and solidified their place as a solid top 10 squad.
7. South Pasadena (SS) - Strong showing in Clovis this weekend, scoring lower than Piedmont and earning a spot in the top 10 this week.
8. Piedmont (NC) - Although they were outscored in Clovis by two new teams in the rankings, it is worth noting that this team was missing a top-five runner Saturday. I suspect there will be a bounce back in the next few weeks, and this could still be a top five team (if so, the North Coast is very strong!).
9. Covina (SS) - Did not race, but lost ground to strong performances from some new teams in the top 10.
Others - Harvard Westlake (SS) - Theoretically loaded with talent, but we haven't seen their top three race yet. We prefer not to guess about the strength (and health) of a team without actual racing to base it on. If fully healthy, this should be a podium-quality team at the State Meet.