At the Clovis XC Invite, various freshmen and sophomores demonstrated that they aren't waiting to make a difference in the California scene as upperclassmen. That's why, each week, we've been highlighting California's Future Stars, not just to showcase the wide range of upcoming talent, but also to recognize the present young talent who are topping leaderboards.
If there's one thing West Torrance is determined to do this season, it's to win the team title. In 2025, they've won the Woodbridge Rated Varisty race, the Great Cow Varsity race, the grade level Laguna Hills XC races, and now the Friday Sweepstakes race at the Clovis XC Invite. The sophomore, Cody Wheeler, was the difference maker this weekend after his 15:35 performance to finish 17th in the race and No. 2 on the team. Wheeler is a key member of the West Torrance team, and his status as the 5th fastest underclassman at Clovis indicates he will keep being a game-changer for the Warriors.
Brooklyn Buckley made an immediate impact as a freshman last year for the national powerhouse, Buchanan, and she continued her excellence at this year's Clovis XC Invitational. In Saturday's Sweepstakes race, she ran 17:40 to finish eleventh as Buchanan's No.1 runner. Her consistent running in the 2025 season has helped move up to No. 4 in the COROS MileSplit 50 Team Rankings after their second-place finish at Clovis.
Welcome to high school cross country, Addyson Johnson, who may be the next shark to lead Santiago to national prominence. Addyson ran 17:46 to finish 14th overall in Saturday's Sweepstakes race at the Clovis XC Invitational, which helped Santigo finish third place overall as a team. The third fastest freshman holds a lot of promise for the future, but especially for now, as Santiago will be seeking another NXN berth this November.
Two freshmen boys are energizing the emerging powerhouses of Mountain View in the CIF Central Coast Section. At the Clovis Invitational, Liam Tassa ran 15:56 to run the second fastest freshman time of the weekend, while Mac Zhang ran 16:01 for the fourth fastest freshman time. Their performances in Saturday's Sweepstakes helped Mountain View finish in 10th place overall as a team.
At the Clovis XC Invite, various freshmen and sophomores demonstrated that they aren't waiting to make a difference in the California scene as upperclassmen. That's why, each week, we've been highlighting California's Future Stars, not just to showcase the wide range of upcoming talent, but also to recognize the present young talent who are topping leaderboards.
This week, we highlight a group of Future Stars who made an impact at the Clovis XC Invitational that could pay dividends on the same course in November at the CIF XC State Championships.
