California boys cross country enters 2026 with plenty of familiar names, emerging stars, and championship contenders ready to shape the season.
Before racing gets underway, we highlight the top XC returners from the 2025 season and explain how they could impact the season in 20 words or less.
Returning State Champions
The defending CIF State champions return with the opportunity to prove last season was only the beginning.
Cooper Stream | Vacaville | Class of 2027
National Championship Experience
These athletes gained invaluable experience competing against the nation's best and return ready to make another postseason run.
Blake Bay | Fresno Pacific | Class of 2027
Finished 16th at the Brooks XC Championships after narrowly missing the Division 5 state title.
Aidan Antonio | Woodbridge | Class of 2027
Division 2's third-place finisher gained national experience with his first appearance at Nike Cross Nationals.
Cooper Stream | Vacaville | Class of 2027
Capped his state championship season by competing against the nation's best at Nike Cross Nationals.
-- Blake Bay after dominating the CIF Central Section XC Championships --
State Championship Experience
The runners entering this season with invaluable state meet experience
Michael Scarince | South Pasadena | Class of 2027
Division 3's top title threat after finishing fifth in XC and runner-up in the state 3200m final.
Djali de Chalus | St. Mary's College | Class of 2027
A wide-open Division 4 race awaits de Chalus after his 9:02 breakthrough during track season.
Jack Richter | Viewpoint | Class of 2027
A fifth-place Division 5 finish and 9:16 spring PR suggest Richter is ready for another leap.
Derek Luna | Rio Mesa | Class of 2027
Returns after an eighth-place state finish with an opportunity to climb into Division 2's elite.
Jaxon Northcutt | Mt. Carmel | Class of 2027
Last year's 10th-place finisher strengthened his title credentials with an outstanding spring track season.
Albert Jacinto | Chaffey | Class of 2027
A breakout junior season propelled him to his first D1 CIF State XC appearance, finishing 20th.
Bryson Caganap | Ayala | Class of 2028
Last season cemented his status as a contender, breaking through to finish 9th in Division 1 as a sophomore.
Grant Beasley | Sage Creek | Class of 2028
Returns after a 14th state finish and an opportunity to conquer the San Diego section and contend statewide.
Thomas Barrera | La Serna | Class of 2027
Barrera improved by 56 places last season to finish 20th; if that continues, he'll be next in line for the state title.
Dynamic Duos
Inseparable duos that use teamwork to be even more competitive individually
Yohan Anderson & Mattheus Dos Santos | San Clemente
This tandem holds the most championship experience, leading the Tritons as crucial low sticks to NXN.
Mario Montoya & Matteo Sanchez | Redondo Union
Both finished in the top ten at the D1 CIF State XC Championships as sophomores and enter this year as favorites.
Ryan Barris & Hassan Syed | Arnold O. Beckman
Both have been left the keys to lead Beckman back in the D1 title picture.
Lucas Alberts & Matthew Ogilvie | Jesuit
This duo is projected to be a dominant force, combining Alberts' 800m speed and Ogilvie's 3200m strength.
Landon Warriner & Hugh Heyer | McClatchy
Wariner's 19th place last year and Heyer's faster 800m speed to finish runner-up in the CIF final make them dangerous.
Josiah Himsl, Jameson Wiley, & Samuel Aina | Hart
The inseparable trio's 5K PRs are two seconds within each other, giving Hart an incredible advantage in the team race.
Sterling White & Arizechkwu Nwosu | Oaks Christian
Both finished in the top ten at last year's D4 CIF State XC Championships, making them favorites in 2026.
-- Elias Thornson with Davis HS before the D1 CIF State XC race --
Low Sticks
The athletes capable of finishing in the top 10 at the CIF State Championships and giving their teams a huge scoring advantage.
Adrian Cantu | Saugus | Class of 2027
A proven front-runner who finished fifth last season and gives Saugus a major scoring advantage.
Evan Chopra | Menlo-Atherton | Class of 2027
A breakout track season featuring 1:51, 4:10 and 9:14 PRs makes Chopra a dangerous Division 1 contender.
Henry Hauser | Menlo School | Class of 2027
Finished seventh in Division 5 before emerging as one of California's premier milers during track season.
Elias Thronson | Davis | Class of 2028
A consistent top-five finisher last fall, Thronson enters his junior season with even greater upside.
Viggo Bortolin | Foothill Technology | Class of 2027
Returns after placing seventh in Division 4 and will anchor another Foothill Technology title push.
Clark Gregory | Campolindo | Class of 2027
Division 3's fourth-place returner gives title-contending Campolindo a valuable scorer near the front.
Rising Sophomores
Last year's standout freshmen enter their sophomore seasons poised to become California's next generation of cross country stars.
Sterling White | Oaks Christian | Class of 2029
Broke California freshman records in both cross country and the 3200m during a historic debut season.
Liam Tassa | Mountain View | Class of 2029
Ran national top-10 freshman marks of 4:15 and 9:14 during an outstanding first track season.
Tyler Hedstrom | San Marcos | Class of 2029
The second-fastest freshman at the CIF State Championships now steps into San Marcos' No. 1 role.
Jackson Horvath | Santiago-Corona | Class of 2029
Burst onto the scene with freshman track PRs of 4:20 and 9:17.
Owen Burton | Crescenta Valley | Class of 2029
A key member of Crescenta's D1 CIF State XC team stepped up on the track to run 4:18 as a freshman.
-- Joaquim Sandoval running his 3200m PR of 9:02 --
Sleepers
These runners may not yet be household names, but their recent performances suggest they're ready for a breakout season.
Kingsley Lin | Santa Monica | Class of 2027
Dropped 29 seconds in the 3200m and broke through to qualify for the CIF State 3200m final.
Joaquim Sandoval | Warren | Class of 2027
Missing State last fall fueled a massive spring breakthrough, highlighted by a 9:02 3200m personal best.
Gavin De La Fuente | Claremont | Class of 2028
Transferred to Claremont after running 14:53 for three miles, giving the Wolfpack another potential breakout star.
Added Sleepers
Dresden Taylor | Trabuco Hills | Class of 2028
35th in 2025 D1 CIF State XC Championships
Elijah Medina | Redlands East Valley | Class of 2028
CIF State qualifier in the 1600m and 3200m PR of 9:07
Arizechkwu Nwosu | Oaks Christian | Class of 2027
8th in 2025 D4 CIF State XC Championships
William Thompson | La Serna | Class of 2028
58th in 2025 D2 CIF State XC Championships
Caden Ehrhorn | Campolindo | Class of 2028
29th in 2025 D3 CIF State XC Championships
Deven Koppala | Mountain View | Class of 2027
23rd in 2025 D2 CIF State XC Championships
Allan Cruz | Westlake | Class of 2028
9:23 in the 3200m as a sophomore
Ryan Peart | Granada | Class of 2029
86th in 2025 D2 CIF State XC Championships
Alex Van Veen | Granada | Class of 2028
121st in 2025 CIF State XC Championships
Ethan Kelly | Del Oro | Class of 2027
Personal records of 4:18 and 9:16 from the track season
Alejandro Mejia-Hidalgo | Beyer | Class of 2027
125th in 2025 D3 CIF State XC Championships and 4:10 in the 1600m during track season
Oliver Charkiewicz | River City | Class of 2027
74th in 2025 D1 CIF State XC Championships and improved from 9:23 to 9:07 during track season
*Below, enter XC runners we missed in our preview, and we may add them to the list.
California boys cross country enters 2026 with plenty of familiar names, emerging stars, and championship contenders ready to shape the season.
Before racing gets underway, we highlight the top XC returners from the 2025 season and explain how they could impact the season in 20 words or less.