'22 CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW - Southern Section Girls

On paper, Rancho Cucamonga comes into the season, returning all seven along with a solid track season.  As a freshman, Nicole Alfred was 13th in the CIF-SS Div. 1 final.  Coming off a successful track season, only Great Oak saw five underclass girls run under 12:10 for the 3200 meters.  The Cougars have never advanced to the State Championships in school history.  

In a division that is WIDE open in regard to those seven spots for the State Meet in late November, Vista Murrieta will overcome big losses to graduation and is projected to qualify back.  The Broncos have advanced EVERY season since 2009!

Despite fading to 14th in the 2021 final, San Clemente returns six of their top seven from a year ago while they were impressive over the 1600-meters this past Spring.  Santiago also returns a strong group that saw them advance to the State Meet for the first time in school history a year ago. Sophomore Rylee Blade looks to put an injury-marred track season behind her and will be one of the top individuals in the division. 

Huntington Beach is the most improved program in the Southern Section over the past two seasons and primed to advance to the State Meet. Meanwhile, Redondo Union and Long Beach Poly will also be in the running.  With a squad advancing to Fresno in 2021, Chino Hills will also look to advance back once again.  

Placing third a year ago (17:27.7), Great Oak senior Kelli Gaffney  (pictured) is the top returner from the 2021 CIF-SS Div. 1 final and is primed to lead her group back to the team title. Quartz Hill senior Brianne Smith is seeking a third trip to the State Meet as she placed sixth in 2021 while Redondo Union junior Lyla Fedio led her squad to the State Meet a year ago with her seventh-place finish.  

Also expected to compete for the individual title, keep your eyes on Huntington Beach junior Makenzie McRae, tenth in 2021, leading her team to their first-ever State Meet berth.  She qualified for the Masters Meet in the 3200 meters this past spring with a 10:48.41. 

Camille Lindsay of Long Beach Poly had the step-up performance at the 2021 divisional final with her 10th-place finish and returns coming off a solid track season.  

Anaheim Canyon loses their top two runners but returns everybody else. Perhaps, the most impactful transfer in the section, senior Taylor DeBarros (18:16.6 best at Mt. SAC) transferred over from Brea Olinda to give the Comanches the firepower to match NP.  Makena Oliva is their top returner, placing 15th (18:26.4) at the 2021 CIF-SS Div. 2 final.

Westlake returns their top five from their 2021 State Meet team and is one of the top squads in the Southern Section. Led by Kalista Traversa and Laura Castagna, the Warriors possess tons of upside along with a new transfer to compliment their depth.  

Defending Div. 2 champions, Mira Costa, come into 2022 working to replace the loss of Dalia Frias and Ella Parsley but are still projected for a seventh consecutive State Meet berth with season veteran, Anna Chittenden (10:37.50 for 3200 meters this past Spring) leading the way.   

Ventura, Ayala, El Toro, Citrus Valley, Claremont, and Peninsula will battle for the remaining spots qualifying for Fresno. Of interest is the recent track season that El Toro put forth as they ranked as one of the top squads in the Southern Section for underclass performances for the 3200 meters.   Sophomore Kaitlyn Smith (18:43.0 at Mt. SAC) recently transferred from Walnut to nearby Claremont to give more power up front as well.   

Individually, Ventura's Sadie Engelhardt (pictured at left) is the class of the field.  She rolled to a 16:58.7, runner-up performance at the California State Meet and is coming off of, arguably, the most successful seasons in national prep history in establishing national freshman records in the 1600 and 3200 meters.  

But keep in mind that Peninsula's Aishling Callanan (17:06.7; pictured at right) owns the best time on the Mt. SAC 2.93 course. As two of the best on the West Coast, both made their way to the Eastbay Nationals in San Diego last December. 

Claremont junior Denise Chen placed sixth (17:38.5) at the CIF-SS final to pace her squad to the third-place finish in 2021.  Portola senior Jadyn Zdanavage is seeking a third State Meet qualifying effort as she crossed in seventh (17:53.8) a year ago.

TOP RETURNERS FROM '21 CIF-SS D-2 FINALS

On paper, South Torrance looks like the only team that can challenge Dana Hills.  As a freshman, Maddie Mummery placed 15th in the Div. 3 final while they return five of their top six from the Spartans' squad that placed third in 2021.  They went on to finish eighth at the California State Meet with Chloe Esponda as their top scorer.

The battle for the last five spots to the State Meet is wide open!  Placing fifth at the 2021 Div. 3 finals, Dos Pueblos is led by Phoebe Wolfe Lyons and returns their top five scorers from 2021.

With sophomore Sophie Polay at the helm, Santa Margarita brings back its entire squad that stepped up to capture that last spot to the 2021 State Meet.  

Also watch for Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Torrance, Corona del Mar, and West Ranch for the final spots to the State Championships.  

Individually, the division welcomes two new faces.  We see the recent Calabasas transfer, Arielle McKenzie (pictured second from left in D-4 photo below) as the favorite.  While competing for La Canada, the incoming junior placed second in the 2021 Div. 4 race with a time of 17:28.8 on the Mt. SAC Championship course.  Dana Hills' Markow placed fifth at the Div. 2 final with a time of 17:38.2. 

Yorba Linda's Sydney Rome placed third in the 2021 divisional final (17:47.7) while as a freshman, Polay of Santa Margarita impressed with her 17:54.9, fourth-place finish.   

Corona del Mar's Melisse Djomby Enyawe was sixth a year ago (18:07.6) while keep your eyes open for Marjourie Lopez of Shadow Hills. With an 18:19.0 from the Mt. SAC Invite, she improved this past track season with a 10:58.26 for the 3200 meters.

Fighting to challenge the two front-runners, Laguna Hills returns most of its squad as does Bishop Amat.  Laguna Hills returns one of the top freshmen in California in Holly Barker (pictured at right). She fought late-season setbacks but still managed a strong finish.   Meanwhile, Emma Arredondo and Sophia Ebiner finished right beside one another in 2021 to their young group to the State Meet.  

La Canada loses their top girl, Arielle McKenzie but still returns a solid group equipped with State Meet experience.  Katelyn Matarese was sixth in the 2021 final (18:16.9) and will be their top returner in 2022.  

Unable to defend their 2021 Div. 3 title, Palos Verdes moves down to Division 4 with junior Natalie Wang leading the way.  She placed seventh in the 2021 Div. 3 final (18:11.7) while as a freshman, Michelle Nikmehr (18:25.0) was 13th.  

South Pasadena, when glancing at their 3200-meter numbers from this past Spring, was very impressive, rating ninth in the Southern Section.  They were fifth as a team in 2021, but do return three of their top four from that final.  As a freshman, Abigail Errington improved down to an 11:03.14 for the 3200 meters.  

Harvard Westlake was fourth a year ago. Kendra Ross is ready to step into the role as front-runner for the squad that returns five from last year's squad.  

Individually, Godsey of Oaks Christian is the defending champion with a 17:21.9 on the Mt. SAC Championship course.  As a freshman, Laguna Hills' Barker placed third at 17:54.9 but has shown flashes where we could see much better from her. 

Also watch for Beverly Hills Danielle Hollander (bib 81 in photo above), who qualified for the State Meet as an individual with her seventh-place finish (18:19.4) a year ago.  Barstow's Angelina Vasquez also was an individual qualifier, crossing at Mt. SAC in ninth (18:26.2).

Division 5

But, third a year ago, Viewpoint is right there as well as they return their entire group from 2021!  Senior JiaLian Mackey is amongst the best distance talents in the Southern Section and is the defending individual champion. Micah Gutman was also impressive this past Spring with an 11:49.15 for 3200 meters.  

Qualifying for the State Championships the past two seasons, Cate returns six from last year's group that placed sixth at the divisional finals.  Also watch for Sage Hill, who placed ninth in 2021, but return their top six.  

With seven squads qualifying for the State Meet, also expected to compete for those remaining slots include Xavier College Prep, Chadwick, Ontario Christian, Valley Christian (Cerritos), Pasadena Poly, and longtime dominant power, Flintridge Prep.   

Individually, Viewpoint's Mackey is the class of the field.  She is the defending divisional champion, navigating the Mt. SAC course in 17:55.7 a year ago en route to a 43-second romp to the title. 

But, St. Margaret's Blau was the Southern Section's top finisher at the State Meet, crossing with an 18:30.4 third-place finish while new teammate Welsome projects to compete for a top-five finish at the divisional finals.  

Mary Star of the Sea senior Claire Babbitt (at left in photo) placed seventh at the 2021 State Meet.  As a freshman, Providence's Aubrey Eaton placed 14th at the California State Meet and is coming off an 11:16.53 track season for the 3200 meters.  Malibu's Tallula Murphree (at right in photo) advanced to Fresno as a freshman with her fourth-place finish at the divisional finals as well.