The JSerra girls are loaded with sophomore Brynn Garcia (704), junior Georgia Jeanneret and senior Anastasia Snodgrass (713) among the very deep lineup. (Daniel Hernandez photo)
* * *
With the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic shedding additional light, this is our first glance at the top squads, regardless of division, in the Southern Section. In what will be an ongoing series until the postseason, these are subjective rankings taken from a merge of the top 60 squads in the section.
GIRLS TOP 25 SOUTHERN SECTION TEAMS
1. JSerra (Div. 4)
2. Newbury Park (Div. 2)
3. Rancho Cucamonga (Div. 1)
4. Great Oak (Div. 1)
5. Dana Hills (Div. 3)
6. Santiago-Corona (Div. 1)
7. Oaks Christian (Div. 4)
8. La Canada (Div. 4)
9. Trabuco Hills (Div. 1)
10. Ventura (Div. 2)
11. Citrus Valley (Div. 2)
12. Mira Costa (Div. 2)
13. Huntington Beach (Div. 1)
14. Saugus (Div. 2)
15. Bishop Amat (Div. 4)
16. Santa Monica (Div. 1)
17. South Pasadena (Div. 4)
18. El Toro (Div. 2)
19. Peninsula (Div. 2)
20. Redondo Union (Div. 1)
21. Harvard Westlake (Div. 4)
22. Ayala (Div. 2)
23. Chino Hills (Div. 1)
24. Viewpoint (Div. 5)
25. Canyon-Anaheim Hills (Div. 2)
On the cusp: Etiwanda (Div. 1), Long Beach Poly (Div. 1), Palos Verdes (Div. 4), San Clemente (Div. 1), South Torrance (Div. 3), Thousand Oaks (Div. 3), Vista Murrieta (Div. 1), Westlake (Div. 2)
* * *
Senior brothers Leo Young (left) and Lex Young lead Newbury Park as it looks to defend Southern Section, CIF-State and national boys cross country team titles. (Jeffrey Parenti photo)
BOYS TOP 25 SOUTHERN SECTION TEAMS
1. Newbury Park (Div. 2)
2. Great Oak (Div. 1)
3. San Clemente (Div. 1)
4. Crescenta Valley (Div. 1)
5. Ventura (Div. 2)
6. Mira Costa (Div. 2)
7. Trabuco Hills (Div. 1)
8. Santiago (Div. 1)
9. Redondo Union (Div. 1)
10. Dana Hills (Div. 3)
11. Loyola (Div. 1)
12. Tesoro (Div. 2)
13. Thousand Oaks (Div. 3)
14. West Torrance (Div. 3)
15. Millikan (Div. 1)
16. Saugus (Div. 2)
17. Hart (Div. 2)
18. Santa Margarita (Div. 3)
19. Arcadia (Div. 1)
20. Palos Verdes (Div. 4)
21. Long Beach Poly (Div. 1)
22. St. John Bosco (Div. 4)
23. Cathedral (Div. 4)
24. St. Francis (Div. 4)
25. Ayala (Div. 2)
On the cusp: Agoura (Div. 3), Beckman (Div. 1), Claremont (Div. 2), El Toro (Div. 2), Glendora (Div. 2), Godinez (Div. 2), La Serna (Div. 2), ML King (Div. 1), Oaks Christian (Div. 4), Rancho Cucamonga (Div. 1), Royal (Div. 2), Santa Barbara (Div. 2), Woodbridge (Div. 2)
ORANGE COUNTY RANKINGS:
BOYS
1. San Clemente
2. Trabuco Hills
3. Tesoro
4. Dana Hills
4. Santa Margarita
6. Woodbridge
7. Beckman
8. El Toro
9. Fountain Valley
10. Mission Viejo
others: Brea Olinda, Huntington Beach, Portola, Santa Ana, University
GIRLS
1. J Serra
2. Dana Hills
3. Trabuco Hills
4. El Toro
5. Huntington Beach
6. Canyon
7. San Clemente
8. Los Alamitos
9. Tesoro
10. Mater Dei
10. Yorba Linda
others: Portola, Santa Ana, St. Margaret's, Woodbridge
Mark Gardner is the Southern Section editor for MileSplitCA