Loyola's Robert Brandt (left), the Great Oak duo of Spencer Dodds (center left) Isaac Cortes (center right), and Dana Hills' Jake Ogden each made their school's historic 4x1600 relay dream team. (Photos by: Mary Ann Magnant (Brandt and Ogden), and Lizette Adams)
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Next up in our Dream Team Series is the top 50 ranked boys 4x1600 units
What is this?
Take the four fastest 1600m runners in your school's history, add their four-lap PR times, and that total is your school's 4x1600 Dream Team ranking! That's what we did here, calculating 1600/converted-mile times from nearly 100 of the top distance schools in the state.
Atop the Boys 4x1600 Dream Teams:
The Matauders of Jesuit, out of the Sac-Joaquin Section, have been virtually untouchable for decades! Keep in mind, that current star Matt Strangio was not included because his recent 4:03.7 time trial performance is considered unofficial. But he did make Jesuit's 'B' squad from his state championship, 4:08.07 performance from 2019! (What does that tell you about the tremendous four-lap depth in the history of Coach Walt Lange's program?) While 'B' teams are not listed below, that group of Jesuit runners averaged an incredible 4:08.94 (16:35.74) and would have ranked fourth on this list!!!
Of course, the Jesuit 'A' team is one of the best in national prep history in averaging a head turning 4:04.24!
Single greatest season?
Recognize that ALL four of Great Oak's greatest 1600m runners came from the 2016 season -- the year that the Wolfpack set the national record for the 4x1600! That mark was broken the following season but Great Oak still holds the California state record.
(Inserted photo: From left, Solomon Fountain, Cole Spencer, Isaac Cortes and Spencer Dodds of Great Oak are pictured after they ran what still stands as that CA 4x1600 record time of 16:52.95 at the Mt. SAC Relays in 2016. Photo by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport.)
The program with the best overall depth?
The Dana Hills 'B' team fell within the top 35 with an average of 4:12.09 (16:46.35). And the Dolphins' 'C' team? Yep, they averaged a stellar 4:13.88! An incredible 13 boys in their school history have broken the 4:15 threshold.
Loyola's second group fell just within the top 50 with a 4:12.50 average (16:49.99). Other groups that boast a 'B' team averaging under 4:15 also include Great Oak and La Costa Canyon.
Best family 4x1600??
That's an easy one! Scroll down to Gahr High and admire how ALL four are the Arriola brothers that dominated the scene throughout the 1970's! Although, it's obviously impossible not to recognize the Mastalir twins of Jesuit who both broke 4:04.50!
It took a 4:12.69 average to break into California's Top 50 while a 4:09.28 was what it took to place in the top 10!
In conclusion ...
We ended up calculating numbers for more than 90 of the top programs in California state history with a 4:14 average only good enough to be listed 72nd!
BOYS 4x1600 DREAM TEAM TOP 50
| TEAM | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | TOTAL |
| 1) Jesuit (SJ) | 4:04.00 | 4:04.15 | 4:04.23 | 4:04.58 | 16:16.96 |
| Michael Stemper ('95) | Mark Mastalir ('86) | Eric Mastalir ('86) | Pedro Reyes ('80) | ||
| 2) Great Oak (SS) | 4:04.01 | 4:05.47 | 4:08.27 | 4:10.28 | 16:28.50 |
| Issac Cortes ('16) | Spencer Dodds ('16) | Cole Spencer ('16) | Solomon Fountain ('16) | ||
| 3) Loyola (SS) | 4:00.68 | 4:07.94 | 4:08.44 | 4:11.50 | 16:28.56 |
| Elias Gedyon ('11) | Mark Matusak ('05) | Robert Brandt ('15) | David Torrence ('03) | ||
| 4) El Cajon Valley (SD) | 4:06.80 | 4:07.00 | 4:07.70 | 4:15.30 | 16:34.50 |
| Alvin Gilmore ('73) | Terry Williams ('73) | Jim Schankel ('74) | Jack Hudson ('59) | ||
| 5) Dana Hills (SS) | 4:05.79 | 4:09.58 | 4:09.95 | 4:10.67 | 16:35.99 |
| Jake Ogden ('15) | Connor Kaddatz ('11) | Tyler Valdes ('09) | Zak Phillips ('09) | ||
| 6) De La Salle (NC) | 4:05.79 | 4:09.58 | 4:09.95 | 4:10.67 | 16:36.10 |
| Rich Kimball ('74) | Blair Hurlock ('14) | Mike Prindville ('93) | Carey Matthews ('04) | ||
| 7) Burbank (SS) | 4:07.50 | 4:08.84 | 4:09.02 | 4:11.39 | 16:36.75 |
| John Musich ('74) | Jeff Nelson ('79) | Todd Lewis ('89) | Greg Dodson ('10) | ||
| 8) Huntington Beach Edison (SS) | 4:06.75 | 4:07.10 | 4:11.07 | 4:11.88 | 16:36.80 |
| Jon Butler ('81) | Charlie Christensen ('77) | Joe Gatel ('05) | Cooper Kossick ('15) | ||
| 9) Lompoc (SS) | 4:06.75 | 4:07.00 | 4:07.70 | 4:15.50 | 16:37.00 |
| Alvin Gilmore ('73) | Terry Williams ('73) | Jim Schankel ('74) | Roger Fabing ('74) | ||
| 10) Helix (SD) | 4:05.10 | 4:06.92 | 4:10.09 | 4:15.00 | 16:37.11 |
| Steve Whitcomb ('79) | Daniel Das Neves ('92) | John Seeman ('81) | Marc Keller ('78) | ||
| 11) Trabuco Hills (SS) | 4:00.83 | 4:11.74 | 4:12.53 | 4:12.72 | 16:37.82 |
| Jantzen Oshier ('11) | Nick Plumb ('12) | John Sullivan ('07) | Riley Sullivan ('08) | ||
| 12) Brea Olinda (SS) | 3:59.65 | 4:10.51 | 4:12.76 | 4:15.43 | 16:38.35 |
| Austin Tamagno ('16) | Brennon Koryta ('14) | Andrew Daedler ('11) | John Dempsey ('18) | ||
| 13) JSerra (SS) | 4:06.82 | 4:10.52 | 4:10.60 | 4:10.97 | 16:38.91 |
| Andrew Burkhardt ('16) | Peter Herold ('19) | Anthony Grover ('19) | Luck Decker ('11) | ||
| 14) Royal (SS) | 4:07.59 | 4:09.78 | 4:10.47 | 4:11.73 | 16:39.57 |
| Hudson Andrews ('07) | Scott Blackburn ('75) | Michael Cybulski ('06) | Travis Edwards ('09) | ||
| 15) Redondo (SS) | 4:09.54 | 4:09.72 | 4:10.20 | 4:10.29 | 16:39.75 |
| Bob Leetch ('80) | Ethan Comeaux ('16) | Harold Marshall ('71) | Dustin Herold ('14) | ||
| 16) Santa Ana Foothill (SS) | 4:07.02 | 4:09.60 | 4:09.80 | 4:14.10 | 16:40.52 |
| Jeff Williams ('82) | Matt Bell ('75) | Marek Spillsbury ('76) | Dave Daley ('78) | ||
| 17) Willow Glen (CC) | 4:05.50 | 4:10.63 | 4:10.73 | 4:14.04 | 16:40.99 |
| Mark Stillman ('77) | Mohamed Abdalla ('08) | Jeff Purrington ('81) | Jamie Baldevinos ('68) | ||
| 18) Hart (SS) | 4:08.00 | 4:09.98 | 4:10.54 | 4:13.18 | 16:41.70 |
| Ron Bahara ('78) | Brett Strahan ('94) | Austin O'Neil ('12) | Jeremiah Rasmussen ('19) | ||
| 19) Arroyo (SS) | 4:07.25 | 4:08.63 | 4:11.14 | 4:14.84 | 16:41.86 |
| Noah Hibbard ('19) | Luis Medina ('05) | Richard Walker ('71) | Kip Yuetter ('75) | ||
| 20) Arcadia (SS) | 4:06.61 | 4:11.00 | 4:11.56 | 4:13.00 | 16:41.90 |
| Ammar Moussa ('11) | Estevan Delarosa ('14) | Phillip Rocha ('14) | Tracy Smith ('63) | ||
| 21) Villa Park (SS) | 4:03.77 | 4:09.80 | 4:12.97 | 4:15.90 | 16:42.44 |
| Garrett Corcoran ('14) | Dave Cangelosi ('79) | Dave Green ('82) | Bill Meyer ('86) | ||
| 22) Carpinteria (SS) | 4:06.26 | 4:08.05 | 4:13.84 | 4:14.19 | 16:42.55 |
| Coley Candaele ('90) | Tom Grewe ('82) | Miguel Santizo ('73) | Bret Kimble ('87) | ||
| 23) Gahr (SS) | 4:07.20 | 4:07.40 | 4:07.80 | 4:20.20 | 16:42.60 |
| Ed Arriola ('72) | Jim Arriola ('74) | Dennis Arriola ('79) | Kennie Arriola ('82) | ||
| 24) El Toro (SS) | 4:09.42 | 4:09.53 | 4:09.79 | 4:13.89 | 16:42.63 |
| Toby Villalva ('09) | Brandon Bethke ('04) | Juan Gonzalez ('13) | Abdow Haji ('07) | ||
| 25) El Modena (SS) | 4:09.34 | 4:09.54 | 4:10.84 | 4:14.50 | 16:44.22 |
| Victor Valen ('84) | Sydney Gidabuday ('14) | Ruben Esparza ('82) | Dave White ('70) | ||
26) Buchanan (CS) | 4:07.72 | 4:10.42 | 4:11.92 | 4:14.46 | 16:44.52 |
| Cody Brazeal ('12) | Jonathan Sanchez ('09) | CJ Albertson ('11) | Kyla Alcorn ('02) | ||
| 27) University City (SD) | 4:01.49 | 4:09.26 | 4:15.60 | 4:18.37 | 16:44.72 |
| Mac Fleet ('09) | Allen Seigler ('16) | Riley Booker ('05) | Reiss Haslam ('12) | ||
| 28) Patrick Henry (SD) | 4:01.30 | 4:11.64 | 4:12.86 | 4:19.11 | 16:44.91 |
| Thom Hunt ('76) | Andy Davis ('87) | Ryan Urie ('10) | Adrian Rafiee ('09) | ||
| 29) Bellarmine (CC) | 4:07.96 | 4:09.99 | 4:13.39 | 4:14.20 | 16:45.54 |
| Scott Robinson ('87) | Collin Peattie ('19) | Alex Scales ('17) | Andrew Wulf ('96) | ||
| 30) Carlmont (CC) | 4:08.84 | 4:09.30 | 4:10.73 | 4:17.07 | 16:45.94 |
| Brad Suhr ('07) | Steve Miller ('72) | Johain Ounadjela ('15) | Ryan Wilson ('18) | ||
| 31) Westminster (SS) | 4:07.10 | 4:07.80 | 4:14.15 | 4:17.00 | 16:46.05 |
| Carl Trentadue ('65) | Mike Solomon ('67) | Kyle Morton ('83) | Neil Sybert ('67) | ||
| 32) La Costa Canyon (SD) | 4:08.15 | 4:11.92 | 4:12.92 | 4:13.12 | 16:46.11 |
| Darren Fahy ('12) | Alex Merder ('15) | Garrett Stanford ('19) | Jacob Stanford ('19) | ||
| 33) Arroyo Grande (SS) | 4:07.20 | 4:11.80 | 4:12.94 | 4:14.40 | 16:46.34 |
| Louis Quintana ('90) | Eric Dunn ('94) | Jesse Mitchell ('77) | Ban Taylor ('17) | ||
| 34) Crescenta Valley (SS) | 4:07.10 | 4:12.31 | 4:12.66 | 4:14.51 | 16:46.58 |
| Don Moses ('76) | Dylan Wilbur ('19) | Colin Fitzgerald ('18) | Zach Torres ('09) | ||
| 35) Stockdale (CS) | 4:02.67 | 4:13.10 | 4:14.36 | 4:16.76 | 16:46.89 |
| Black Haney ('13) | Cameron Miller ('12) | Connor Fisher ('13) | Adham Maher ('19) | ||
| 36) Loara (SS) | 4:05.60 | 4:07.26 | 4:17.20 | 4:17.60 | 16:47.66 |
| Ralph Serna ('75) | Mike Serna ('80) | Jose Saavedra ('74) | Bob Gallagher ('75) | ||
| 37) Corona del Mar (SS) | 4:10.74 | 4:10.92 | 4:11.94 | 4:14.09 | 16:47.69 |
| Jim Robbins ('88) | Dave Anderson ('84) | Eddie Lavelle ('89) | Josh Yelsey ('01) | ||
| 38) Ventura (SS) | 4:05.08 | 4:10.65 | 4:15.97 | 4:16.58 | 16:48.28 |
| Josh Spiker ('00) | Garrett Reynolds ('15) | Edwin Herrera ('11) | Easton Tackett ('11) | ||
| 39) Davis (SJ) | 4:08.29 | 4:12.59 | 4:13.60 | 4:14.00 | 16:48.48 |
| Michael Vernau ('17) | Ben Roberts ('15) | Nick Browosky ('16) | Trevor Halsted ('11) | ||
| 40) Santa Barbara (SS) | 4:07.60 | 4:10.14 | 4:15.28 | 4:15.60 | 16:48.62 |
| Barasa Thomas ('81) | Dan Holmes ('84) | Briggs Deardorff ('11) | Eric Sappenfield ('79) | ||
| 41) St. Ignatius (CC) | 4:09.84 | 4:11.28 | 4:13.24 | 4:14.40 | 16:48.76 |
| Klaus Hoffman ('68) | Branden Fitzgibbon ('97) | Brad Hansen ('96) | Ken Howard ('64) | ||
| 42) Mission Viejo (SS) | 4:09.15 | 4:12.80 | 4:13.34 | 4:13.54 | 16:48.83 |
| James Cameron ('09) | Ed Radermacher ('72) | Brett Hickman ('18) | Chris Kemp ('88) | ||
| 43) Big Bear (SS) | 4:02.62 | 4:09.19 | 4:11.72 | 4:25.82 | 16:49.35 |
| Ryan Hall ('01) | Chad Hall ('07) | Caleb Webb ('15) | Berto Solis ('07) | ||
| 44) Saugus (SS) | 4:10.40 | 4:12.32 | 4:12.94 | 4:14.01 | 16:49.67 |
| Joe Devine ('88) | Kirk Stonerock ('86) | Brian Zabiliski ('15) | Alex Pearson ('14) | ||
| 45) Upland (SS) | 4:12.30 | 4:12.44 | 4:12.41 | 4:12.58 | 16:49.73 |
| Tyler Brady ('09) | Alex Greenberg ('05) | Don Orr ('81) | Phil Orr ('81) | ||
| 46) Palos Verdes (SS) | 4:11.12 | 4:11.38 | 4:11.92 | 4:15.35 | 16:49.77 |
| Miles Irish ('14) | Fawad Khan ('07) | Robert Franklin ('16) | Jonah Diaz ('12) | ||
| 47) San Pasqual (SD) | 4:07.60 | 4:12.24 | 4:13.59 | 4:16.50 | 16:49.93 |
| Francis O'Neal ('89) | Nazario Romero ('93) | Kenneth Raedel ('09) | Robert Walker ('91) | ||
| 48) Laguna Beach (SS) | 4:07.70 | 4:11.00 | 4:13.87 | 4:17.77 | 16:50.34 |
| Eric Hulst ('74) | Sebastian Fisher ('19) | Kurt Depfyffer ('87) | Ryan Smithers ('19) | ||
| 49) West Torrance (SS) | 4:11.26 | 4:12.06 | 4:13.25 | 4:14.10 | 16:50.67 |
| Rory Abberton ('18) | Jake Parker ('19) | Carson Bix ('16) | Ron Pettigrew ('65) | ||
| 50) ML King (SS) | 4:04.33 | 4:11.93 | 4:16.47 | 4:18.01 | 16:50.74 |
| Tyler Janes ('16) | Lane Werley ('11) | Andrew Boebinger ('16) | Nathan Torres ('12) |
