Putting the top seven returning CA boys high school XC runners on the line heading into '23 fall season including (from left) Emmanuel Perez, Anthony Fast Horse, and Evan Noonan.
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If we were to take California's top returning high school boys cross country runners to compete for state bragging rights against the best from other states, what super seven would be on the line to represent the Golden State?
We asked Albert Caruana to select this fall's MileSplitCA Super Seven Boys XC Team. Coach Caruana led the Crystal Springs Uplands School boys and girls teams to Central Coast Section and CIF-State Division V team titles last fall.
Here are his selections ranked 1-7:
1. Anthony Fast Horse (Ventura/SS/Sr.)
Ventura has quite the one/two punch last season with sophomore Sadie Englehart and junior Anthony Fast Horse. He was the first non Newbury Park runner in last year's State Division II race as he finished in 4th place with a time 15:08.5 which qualified him for NXN as an individual. This past track season, Fast Horse recorded times of 4:08.48 and 8:51.90. He finished in 3rd place in a hotly contested 1600 state final and recorded his fastest time in the 3200 at the always speedy Arcadia Invitational.
2. Evan Noonan (Dana Hills/SS/Jr.)
Evan Noonan was the most impressive sophomore in the state throughout the last school year. He won the 2022 Division III individual state title with a time of 15:04.3. He qualified for NXN as an individual where he finished in 46th place. During this past track season, Noonan had a best of 4:09.48 in the 1600 and won the CIF Masters meet in the 3200 with a time of 8:49.38. He finished in 3rd place at the state meet.
3. Jason Parra (Millikan/SS/Sr.)
Millikan's Jason Parra fearlessly led the hotly contested 2022 state Division I race at the mile and eventually finished in 6th place with a time of 15:13.7. He was even more impressive this past track season as he led the state with the fastest 3200m time of 8:46.50. He finished in 3rd place at the SS Masters meet in the same event and chased state champion Matthew Solis with his 2nd place finish at the state meet.
Emmanuel Perez led his Cathedral teammates to a 2nd place team finish in the Division IV race with his individual victory in a time of 15:05.4. He qualified for the NXN as an individual where he finished in 44th place. During this past track season, Perez recorded bests of 4:09.27 and 8:53.07. He was nearly undefeated in the 1600 and finished in 14th place at the CA state meet 3200m race.
5. Aydon Stefanopoulos (Los Gatos/CCS/Jr.)
Aydon Stefanopoulos of Los Gatos shined brightest in the biggest meet of the year for both cross country and track and field, the state meet. In cross country, Stefanopoulos finished in 4th place at the section final but ran a way more impressive 5th in the Division II final at Woodward Park. At the CCS track final, he finished in 2nd place in the 1600 and 3200. At the state meet, he was the only runner to podium in both distance races as he finished in 8th place in the 1600 and 4th place in the 3200 recording his best of 8:57.99.
6. Joshua Bell (Templeton/CS/Sr.)
Templeton's Joshua Bell was the Central Section Division III individual champion. At the state meet, Bell finished in 3rd place with a time of 15:18.3 on the historic Woodward Park course. Bell qualified for the CHAMPS Sports national meet with a 7th place finish at the West Region race. This past track season, Bell recorded a best of 8:55.52 at the Arcadia Invitational 3200 and finished in the 6th place at the state meet with another sub 9 minute effort.
7. Grant Morgenfeld (Palo Alto/CCS/Sr.)
Palo Alto senior Grant Morgenfeld recorded some of the fastest times in the state in both cross country and track and field in the past school year. In cross country, Morganfeld ran 14:54.1 to win the CCS Division II race. He qualified for the CHAMPS Sports national meet where he finished in 18th place. During track, Morganfeld had bests of 4:11.88 in the 1600 while winning the Stanford Invitational and recorded his best of 8:49.21 at the Arcadia Invitational.
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Photos by DeAnna Turner, Daniel Hernandez, Josh Barber, Raymond Tran, and Dan Tyree.