This weekend, we welcome the return back to Mt. SAC for the Southern Section Cross Country preliminaries. The top squads will simply do what is needed to qualify onward to next Saturday's CIF-SS Finals. We do anticipate some tight races for those last qualifying spots. Keep in mind, that the Southern Section is returning to 16 qualifying squads for the 2021 CIF-SS Finals, as opposed to the 24 allocated in previous seasons while the Mt. SAC athletic facility was under construction.
Divisions 2, 4, and 5 will take on the Mt. SAC course on Friday with D-4 races beginning at 8:30 a.m., followed by D-2 qualifying heats at 11:13 a.m., with D-5 concluding the day with heats scheduled to take the line beginning at 12:15 p.m.
Divisions 1 and 3 will compete on Saturday with racing in D-3 beginning at 7:45 a.m. to be followed by D-1 qualifying heats set to begin at 9:18 a.m.
Divisions featuring three heats in the qualifying rounds (All Div. 2-4 races and Div. 5 girls) will automatically qualify the top five teams. For that last 16th spot - it will go to the fastest team time of the three sixth-place finishers in their respective heat). Athletes placing in the top eight, and not on qualifying teams, will advance as individuals.
Divisions featuring four heats in the qualifying rounds (Div. 5 boys and all Div. 1 races) will automatically qualify the top four teams. Athletes placing in the top six, and not on qualifying teams, will advance as individuals.
FRIDAY'S PROJECTIONS - GIRLSSquads projected to advance onward to next week's CIF-SS Finals
Division 4 Girls
Race #4 (9:24 am) - JSerra, Laguna Beach, Harvard Westlake, St. Lucy's, MarymountRace #5 (9:37 am) - La Canada, Bishop Amat, Orange Lutheran, Covina, Notre Dame (SO), HH Wilson*
Race #6 (9:50 am) - Oaks Christian, Laguna Hills, El Segundo, South Pasadena, Barstow
Division 2 Girls
Race #10 (11:00 am) - Mira Costa, El Toro, West Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Citrus Valley, Walnut*Race #11 (11:13 am) - Canyon (Anaheim), Westlake, Peninsula, Serrano, Murrieta Valley
Race #12 (11:26 am) - Claremont, Dana Hills, Ventura, Ayala, Tesoro
Division 5 Girls
Race #17 (1:30 pm) - St. Margaret's, Flintridge Prep, Chadwick, Crossroads, Aquinas, Ramona Convent*Race #18 (1:50 pm) - Viewpoint, Xavier College Prep, La Reina, Pasadena Poly, Sacred Heart of Jesus
Race #19 (2:10 pm) - Linfield Christian, Cate, Sage Hill, Sierra Canyon, Ontario Christian
SATURDAY'S PROJECTIONS - GIRLSSquads projected to advance onward to next week's CIF-SS Finals
Division 3 Girls
Race #23 (8:39 am) - Palos Verdes, Yorba Linda, Santa Margarita, Corona del Mar, West TorranceRace #24 (8:52 am) - Brea Olinda, Dos Pueblos, Agoura, Esperanza, Granite Hills, Sonora*
Race #25 (9:05 am) - South Torrance, Torrance, North Torrance, Oak Park, Moorpark
Division 1 Girls
Race #30 (10:24 am) - Newbury Park, Quartz Hill, Roosevelt, Crescenta Valley Race #31 (10:36 am) - Great Oak, Vista Murrieta, Aliso Niguel, San Clemente
Race #32 (10:48 am) - Redondo Union, Huntington Beach, Rancho Cucamonga, La Serna
Race #33 (11:00 am) - Chino Hills, Santiago, Fountain Valley, Saugus
GIRLS TOP 40
2. Mira Costa (Div. 2) - Bay League Champs
3. Canyon, Anaheim (Div. 2) - Crestview League Champs
4. JSerra (Div. 4) - Trinity League Champs
5. Great Oak (Div. 1) - 14th Straight Southwestern League Champs
6. Claremont (Div. 2) - Palomares League Champs
7. Redondo Union (Div. 1) - Bay League runner-up to Mira Costa
8. La Canada (Div. 4) - Rio Hondo League Champs
8. Oaks Christian (Div. 4) - Marmonte League runner-up to Newbury Park
10. Chino Hills (Div. 1) - Baseline League Champs
11. Dana Hills (Div. 2) - South Coast League Champs
12. Santiago (Div. 1) - Big 8 League Champs
13. Westlake (Div. 2) - Third place in the Marmonte League to Newbury Park and Oaks Christian
14. Palos Verdes (Div. 3) - Third-place in the Bay League to Mira Costa and Redondo
15. Vista Murrieta (Div. 1) - Southwestern League runner-up to Great Oak
16. El Toro (Div. 2) - South Coast League runner-up to Dana Hills
17. Peninsula (Div. 2) - Fourth-place in the Bay League to three state meet teams. (earned at-large entry)
18. West Ranch (Div. 2) - Foothill League Champs
19. Huntington Beach (Div. 1) - Sunset Conference Champs
20. Brea Olinda (Div. 3) - Crestview League runner-up to Canyon (Anaheim)
21. Fountain Valley (Div. 1) - Runner-up in Sunset Conference to Huntington Beach
22. Laguna Hills (Div. 4) - Pacific Coast League Champs
23. Roosevelt (Div. 1) - Big 8 League runner-up to Santiago
24. Rancho Cucamonga (Div. 1) - Third-place in the Baseline League without their #2
25. Aliso Niguel (Div. 1) - Sea View League Champs
26. Quartz Hill (Div. 1) - Golden League Champs
27. Saugus (Div. 1) - Foothill League runner-up behind West Ranch
28. La Serna (Div. 1) - Del Rio League Champs
29. Ayala (Div. 2) - Palomares League runner-up to Claremont
30. San Clemente (Div. 1) - Third-place at South Coast League to Dana Hills and El Toro
31. Ventura (Div. 2) - Pacific View League Champs
32. Crescenta Valley (Div. 1) - Pacific League Champs
33. Etiwanda (Div. 1) - Baseline League runner-up to Chino Hills
34. South Torrance (Div. 3) - Pioneer League Champs
35. Torrance (Div. 3) - Pioneer League runner-up to South Torrance
36. Dos Pueblos (Div. 3) - Channel League Champs
37. Bishop Amat (Div. 4) - Del Rey League Champs
38. Thousand Oaks (Div. 2) - Fifth place at the Marmonte League finals (earned at-large entry)
39. Yorba Linda (Div. 3) - Fourth place in the Crestview League (earned at-large entry)
40. St. Margaret's (Div. 5) - San Joaquin League Champs
40. Viewpoint (Div. 5) - Gold Coast League Champs
Looking to Break In: Agoura, Beckman, Citrus Valley, Foothill (Santa Ana), Harvard-Westlake, Laguna Beach, Santa Monica, Santa Margarita, Serrano, South Pasadena, Tesoro
FRIDAY'S PROJECTIONS - BOYSSquads projected to advance onward to next week's CIF-SS Finals
Division 4 Boys
Race #1 (8:30 am) - Cathedral, El Segundo, Burroughs, Chaminade, La CanadaRace #2 (8:42 am) - Laguna Hills, Harvard Westlake, South Pasadena, HH Wilson, St. Francis
Race #3 (8:54 am) - Big Bear, Laguna Beach, Oaks Christian, Orange Lutheran, Bishop Amat, Fillmore*
Division 2 Boys
Race #7 (10:06 am) - Mira Costa, Foothill, Ayala, Tesoro, WestlakeRace #8 (10:18 am) - Claremont, Royal, Dana Hills, Glendora, Canyon (Ana.), Walnut*
Race #9 (10:30 am) - Hart, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, El Toro, West Ranch
Division 5 Boys
Race #13 (1215 pm) - Providence, Crossroads, Woodcrest Christian, Valley ChristianRace #14 (12:30 pm) - Viewpoint, Sage Hill, Flintridge Prep, Pacifica Christian (OC)
Race #15 (12:45 pm) - Windward, Pacific Christian (SM), Thacher, Webb
Race #16 (1:00 pm) - St. Margaret's, Chadwick, Cate, Pasadena Poly
SATURDAY'S PROJECTIONS - BOYSSquads projected to advance onward to next week's CIF-SS Finals
Division 3 Boys
Race #20 (7:45 am) - West Torrance, Brea Olinda, St. John Bosco, Redlands East Valley, Servite, Dos Pueblos*Race #21 (7:57 am) - Capistrano Valley, Santa Margarita, Canyon (CC), Buena, Pasadena
Race #22 (8:09 am) - Palos Verdes, Torrance, Agoura, Sonora, Rowland
Division 1 Boys
Race #26 (9:18 am) - Newbury Park, Valencia (Val.), Redondo Union, RooseveltRace #27 (9:30 am) - Great Oak, Santiago, Arcadia, ML King
Race #28 (9:42 am) - Loyola, Vista Murrieta. Long Beach Poly, Aliso Niguel
Race #29 (9:54 am) - Crescenta Valley, San Clemente, Rancho Cucamonga, Trabuco Hills
BOYS TOP 40
2. Great Oak (Div. 1) - Southwestern League Champs
3. Loyola (Div. 1) - Mission League Champs
4. Crescenta Valley (Div. 1) - Pacific League Champs
5. San Clemente (Div. 1) - South Coast League Champs
6. Mira Costa (Div. 2) - Bay League Champs
7. Vista Murrieta (Div. 1) - Southwestern League runner-up to Great Oak
8. West Torrance (Div. 3) - Pioneer League Champs
9. Claremont (Div. 2) - Palomares League Champs
10. Santiago (Div. 1) - Big 8 League Champs
11. Hart (Div. 2) - Foothill League Champs
12. Thousand Oaks (Div. 2) - Marmonte League runner-up to Newbury Park
13. Redondo Union (Div. 1) - Bay League runner-up to Mira Costa
14. Royal (Div. 2) - Marmonte League....
15. Valencia, Val. (Div. 1) - Foothill League runner-up to Hart
16. Foothill (Div. 2) - North Hills League Champs
17. Rancho Cucamonga (Div. 1) - Baseline League Champs
18. Long Beach Poly (Div. 1) - Moore League Champs
19. Capistrano Valley (Div. 3) - Sea View League Champs
20. Ayala (Div. 2) - Palomares League runner-up to Claremont
21. Ventura (Div. 2) - Pacific View League Champs
22. Dana Hills (Div. 2) - South Coast League runner-up to San Clemente
23. Arcadia (Div. 1) - Pacific League runner-up to Crescenta Valley
24. Palos Verdes (Div. 3) - Third-place in Bay League to Mira Costa and Redondo Union
25. Aliso Niguel (Div. 1) - Third-place in South Coast League to San Clemente and Dana Hills
26. Trabuco Hills (Div. 1) - Sea View League runner-up to Capistrano Valley
27. El Toro (Div. 2) - Fourth-place in South Coast League (at-large entry)
28. Westlake (Div. 2) - Third-place at Marmonte League Finals to Newbury Park and Agoura
29. Torrance (Div. 3) - Pioneer League runner-up to West Torrance
30. ML King (Div. 1) - Big 8 League Runner-Up to Santiago
31. Roosevelt (Div. 1) - Third-place in Big 8 League to Santiago and ML King
32. Fountain Valley (Div. 1) - Sunset League (Wave division) Champs
33. Glendora (Div. 2) - Third-place in the Palomares League to Claremont and Ayala
34. La Serna (Div. 1) - Del Rio League Champs
35. Cathedral (Div. 4) - Del Rey League Champs
36. Tesoro (Div. 2) - Third-place in Sea View League to Capistrano Valley and Trabuco Hills
37. Laguna Hills (Div. 4) - Pacific Coast League Champs
38. Brea Olinda (Div. 3) - Crestview League Champs
39. Santa Margarita (Div. 3) - Trinity League Champs
40. Beckman (Div. 1) - Pacific Coast runner-up to Laguna Hills
40. Canyon, Ana. (Div. 2) - Crestview League runner-up to Brea Olinda
Looking to Break In: Agoura, Big Bear, Camarillo, Canyon (CC), Providence, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, St. John Bosco, Viewpoint, Walnut
Mark Gardner is the Southern Section Editor for MileSplitCA
Photos by Matt Ebiner, Daniel Hernandez, Jeffrey Parenti, and Raymond Tran