It's time to get fired up for cross country! Our traditional XC countdown is back, although it may look a little different this time around - our longtime data analyst Jeff George has moved on, leaving this energizing project to the MileSplit team in CA. Our collective goal is to briefly highlight 30 boys and 30 girls teams that we think will have an impact this fall. We will spotlight one team per gender per day over a 30-day period. Similar to past countdowns, we will provide a cross-sampling of teams from all 10 sections without regard to statewide or even division ranking (those will come later, as will articles previewing each section, and returning athletes to watch). As always, if you catch an error or have updated information for us, email CA state editor Jeffrey Parenti (jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv) and we'll make the corrections.
This article was updated 8/5/22 with additional detail.
Whitney (SJ/Division II)
Returning four of five scorers from the State Meet lineup, makes this group one to watch. Whitney won the SJS title in 2019 and placed second to a veteran Vacaville group last fall.
Seniors Cole Jamieson (16:09.90 PR for 5K), Mateo Delgadillo (16:25.06), and Nick Herrmann (16:29.12), and junior Noah Lopez (16:43.80), scored as the Wildcats placed 16th in the State Final. The placing might not be as impressive but the returning five - which includes junior Joel Tajiri (16:27.10) - gaps at 33.90 for 5K.
They gapped at 23 seconds at the SJS Final with a 10-11-13-18-22 grouping - second best at the section championship meet behind only Vacaville. Five of those seven return including senior Brandon Olah, who ran No. 7 and has a 5K best of 17:34.17.
The Wildcats have an impressive seven guys who ran sub-10:05 for 3200m led by Hermann (9:19), senior Callum Turner (9:43), Jaimeson (9:48), Lopez (9:54), and Delgadillo (9:58) all under 9:59.
The Wildcats have placed either first or second in D-2 four times in the last five seasons, including SJS titles in 2018-19. There's plenty of reason for optimism that this team is set up for a return to the top of the podium.
| Whitney (SJ) | ||||
| 1) Cole Jamieson | 16:09.90 | 107 | ||
| 2) Mateo Delgadillo | 16:25.86 | 158 | ||
| 3) Joel Tajiri | 16:27.10 | 162 | ||
| 4) Nick Herrmann | 16:29.12 | 174 | ||
| 5) Noah Lopez | 16:43.80 | 228 | ||
| Average Time: 16:27.16 Total Time: 1:22:15.78 1-5 Split: 33.90 | ||||
| 6) Callum Turner | 16:44.20 | 231 | ||
| 7) Jaden Rapp | 17:27.30 | 486 | ||
Photos by James Leash