State Meet Preview: Division II

Girls Division II Preview

•  Runner to beat: MacKenize Browne, J.W. North
• Team to beat: Sacramento St. Francis
• Entries

Individual Competition

Unlike last year, when La Costa Canyon's Kristin Fahy was the prohibitive favorite and delivered a 22-second victory, no one runner would be considered a lock. That just means any one of a half-dozen runners could capture the first race of the day. Youth was served at the Southern Section championships where precocious freshman MacKenzie Browne of Riverside's J.W. North (pictured above) was the only runner to dip under 17 in this division at 16:53.7 for 3-miles. She was also the top DII finisher in the individual sweepstakes at Mt. SAC, so has proven herself on the biggest stages to date. Claremont's Maddie Coles, who was second in the state meet as a freshman last year, was seventh in the Southern Section meet but clearly loves this course.  Ventura's Madeleine Locher was third in the SS meet and fourth in Fresno in 2018 and is another good, steady challenger. Anaheim Canyon's Emma Hadley (ninth last year, blazing at Mt. SAC) also fits that bill despite being 14th at SS. You have to figure the St. Francis girls will be primed for this meet after having a week's rest, so the duo of Isabella Fauria (10^th in 2018) and the aptly-named Cate Joaquin (15^th last year) should get serious consideration as should SJS champ Alexandra Klos (pictured), a sophomore who won by a whopping 55 seconds and pushed Corie Smith to a record performance on the Woodward Park course in October's Clovis Invitational. Presentation's Gianna Mendoza was impressive in winning the Central Coast section and Shae Hill from Granada stood out in winning the North Coast championships.

 Team Competition

This is a lot more open than the boys' team race although Sacramento St. Francis has done nothing to make anyone think they won't be at their best in Fresno. With Cate Joaquin (2^nd at SJS finals) and Isabella Fauria (8^th) leading the way, the Troubadors scored just 48 points two weeks ago to beat Rio Americano (62) and Vista Del Lago (75). If, with the extra week of rest, St. Francis does roll, bet more sections look at rolling back the calendar. That's not to say Southern Section champ Newbury Park or runner-up Claremont, which was second in this meet in 2018 and has a solid 1-2-3 punch, won't be in the mix or that other St. Francis (Mountain View) or even late-comer Granada.

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