RANKINGS Updated Southern Section Top 25 Cross Country Teams

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In advance of Saturday's CIF-SS Cross Country Championships, we provide another look at our latest subjective rankings of the top 25 squads in the Southern Section, regardless of division.

Also, look for our upcoming division-by-division preview where we also rank the top individuals going into this Saturday's Finals and CIF-State qualifier meet. 

JSerra, the No. 15-ranked team in the U.S. and the top-ranked Division 4 girls team in CA, ran a controlled 48-second scoring gap at Saturday's Southern Section Preliminary qualifying race at Mt. SAC. (Raymond Tran photo)

GIRLS - TOP 25
1. JSerra (Div. 4)
2. Rancho Cucamonga (Div. 1)
3. Newbury Park (Div. 2)
4. Great Oak (Div. 1)
5. Dana Hills (Div. 3)
6. La Canada (Div. 4)
7. Oaks Christian (Div. 4)
8. Trabuco Hills (Div. 1)
9. Santiago (Div. 1)
10. Claremont (Div. 2)
11. Ventura (Div. 2)
12. El Toro (Div. 2)
13. Mira Costa (Div. 2)
14. Bishop Amat (Div. 4)
15. Saugus (Div. 2)
16. Citrus Valley (Div. 2)
17. Palos Verdes (Div. 4)
18. Redondo Union (Div. 1)
19. Canyon, Ana. (Div. 2)
20. Santa Monica (Div. 1)
21. Peninsula (Div. 2)
22. South Pasadena (Div. 4)
23. Ayala (Div. 2)
24. Chino Hills (Div. 1)
25. Los Alamitos (Div. 1)
Others: Crescenta Valley (Div. 1), Etiwanda (Div. 1), Harvard Westlake (Div. 4), Huntington Beach (Div. 1), Murrieta Valley (Div. 2), South Torrance (Div. 3), Viewpoint (Div. 5), Westlake (Div. 2), Yorba Linda (Div. 3) 

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San Clemente, the top-ranked Division 1 boys team in the state, ran a tight 1-second pack at Friday's Southern Section Prelims at Mt. SAC. (Josh Barber photo)

BOYS - TOP 25
1. Newbury Park (Div. 2)
2. San Clemente (Div. 1)
3. Great Oak (Div. 1)
4. Crescenta Valley (Div. 1)
5. Ventura (Div. 2)
6. Mira Costa (Div. 2)
7. Arcadia (Div. 1)
8. Trabuco Hills (Div. 1)
9. Redondo Union (Div. 1)
10. Dana Hills (Div. 3)
11. Ayala (Div. 2)
12. Santa Margarita (Div. 3)
13. Santiago (Div. 1)
14. Beckman (Div. 1)
15. West Torrance (Div. 3)
16. St. Francis (Div. 4)
17. Saugus (Div. 2)
18. Hart (Div. 2)
19. El Toro (Div. 2)
20. Palos Verdes (Div. 4)
21. St. John Bosco (Div. 4)
22. Loyola (Div. 1)
23. Cathedral (Div. 4)
24. Moorpark (Div. 3)
25. Tesoro (Div. 2)
25. Thousand Oaks (Div. 3)
Others: Camarillo (Div. 1), Fountain Valley (Div. 1), Long Beach Poly (Div. 1), Millikan (Div. 1), ML King (Div. 1), Royal (Div. 2), Santa Barbara (Div. 2)

Mark Gardner is a former coach, popular announcer, and MileSplit's Southern Section Editor

Photos by Josh Barber and Raymond Tran