XC Preview: Southern Section Division 5 Boys

CA 2020-21 Cross Country Preview
Mark Gardner


Jackson Adelman of St. Margarets (1705), the defending CIF-State Division V champion, leads the pack early in the 2019 State championship race. This image includes other top 2020-21 returners (from left) Miles Clark (1889), Will Goddard (1443) and Ziggy Goddard (far right). (Photo: DeAnna Turner)

- - -

In previewing each division for the upcoming cross country season in the Southern Section, no battle for the divisional title is closer than the Division 5 boys!  When looking at what each squad returns and glancing back to the 2019 season, Flintridge Prep and St. Margaret's will once again be the two favorites for the divisional title.  

We begin with the defending CIF-SS Division 5 champions in Flintridge Prep.  Led by the trio of Hudson Billock, Bennett Oakes, and Nolan Costin, the Wolves -- a new school mascot adopted in July 2020 -- captured their third title over a seven-year span at the 2019 CIF-SS Finals. Perhaps, NO other program in the Southern Section has the resume that the Flintridge Prep boys possess. Only once since 1996 has the program finished outside the top three at the CIF-SS Division 5 Finals, reaching the State Meet every year since. (Unfortunately, the 2020-21 State Meet will not be held.)  

  • (Pat Rhames photo: Costin (607 at right) and Oakes (610 at left) from the 2019 State Meet)

St. Margarets has developed its own impressive resume as they placed second to Flintridge Prep in 2019 after capturing their own title in 2018.  This season, they are looking for their fifth title since 2010.  Jackson Adelman, the defending CIF-State Division V champion, is seeking his third straight divisional title!  Adelman will be supported by Calvin Capelle and Kevin Shen.  Shen was not only the top freshmen at the CIF-SS 2019 finals but also at the California State Meet with a solid 16:26.3 performance.   

  • (Pat Rhames photo: Shen (710) and Capelle (706) from the 2019 State Meet)

Behind those two, expect Midland (located northeast of Santa Barbara) to be in the mix once again.  After placing fourth at the 2019 CIF-SS Finals for their first-ever State Meet appearance, they return twin brothers, Will Goddard and Ziggy Goddard (bib 1044 in Pat Rhames photo).  While both finished in the top five at the 2019 divisional finals, they were one of the nice surprises to come along in recent years as they just missed the State Meet in 2018.  

What other teams will in the mix for a top-five spot this upcoming postseason?  Linfield Christian's boys, led by Scudder Sinclair, return the majority of their squad from the 2019 CIF-SS Finals as they missed the State Meet by seven points in that same race.  Sinclair qualified for the State Meet as an individual in 2019.

Desert Christian (Lancaster) is looking for their first top-five finish since earning the team title in 2016.  Viewpoint, who placed third as a team at the CIF-SS 2019 Finals but rebounded the following week to capture the Division V State title, is looking to rebuild after graduating their top two stars.  Meanwhile, Pacifica Christian (Santa Monica), Thacher, Hawthorne MSA (Math and Science Academy), and Crossroads will also be in the race for a top-five team finish this postseason.  

Individually, no division returns more underclassmen than the Division 5 boys.  Incredibly, only five seniors finished among the top 22 at the 2019 CIF-SS Finals.  As previously mentioned, Adelman of St. Margaret's is seeking a third straight divisional title.  The Goddard twins finished third and fifth at those same 2019 finals while Miles Clark was pivotal in helping his squad earn the 2019 D-V State title with his 10th place individual finish.  Clark (DeAnna Turner photo) was seventh, individually at the divisional finals. 

Ontario Christian's Aidan Vorster placed eighth as an individual and qualified for the 2019 State Meet, where he put together his best race with an impressive 12th-place finish.  Also, look for Heritage Christian's Dylan Brown and Dean Wolfe of Webb to finish in the top 10 at this season's divisional finals.  Both qualified for the 2019 State Meet as well.  

RELATED

(returning rankings are based on 2019 results and division placement)