The 45th Annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic brings national contenders to Irvine for high-stakes team battles, individual breakthroughs, and a night that could reshape the 2026 XC season.
Can Herriman Win Their 5th Sweepstakes Race in a Row?
On Saturday, Herriman will go for their 5th Doug Speck Sweepstakes win in a row with a different head coach and their third #1 runner in four years. Three boys are returning from last year's Woodbridge win, including Trevin Lounsbury, who has quickly developed into a contender the nation needs to watch.
Lounsbury most recently ran 14:48 for 5K at the Timpanagos XC Invitational, shattering Jackson Spencer's previous course record of 15:02.
Last season, breaking that record propelled Spencer to one of the greatest high school XC seasons in history. To win on Saturday, Herriman may need a heroic Eli Jarvis-esque performance, with their #2 runner stepping up to finish in the top 10. Vincent Dalton, Camron Johnson, or Jeremiah Sorensen could be the key after all three finish within five seconds of each other at Timpanogos.
Herriman is set to face their toughest Woodbridge field yet this weekend, including Carroll (TX), Crater (OR), Northfield (CO), and Riverton (UT), who may pose the biggest challenges from out-of-state squads. South Lake Carroll has the most momentum after averaging 15:11 on a fast 5K course at the Southlake 5K XC Invite. Additionally, Riverton from Utah just beat Herriman at Timpangos, while Crater from Oregon boasts a great duo of Garret Faught and Sawyer Hutton.
Strong California teams like Woodbridge, San Clemente, Jesuit, Beckman, and Vacaville are also trying to bring the first California boys team win to Sweepstakes since 2021. Woodbridge, led by Aidan Antonio, may have the best chance to win after their PR City Invitational victory on the SilverLakes course, which used to host Woodbridge, where they averaged 14:54 for 3 miles.
Woodbridge Could Establish California's No. 1 Girls' Team
-- From left to right: Molly Sundgren (Buchanan), Reese Holley (JSerra), Alyssa Gutierrez (St. Francis) --
In the Bob Day Girls' Sweepstakes Race, JSerra Catholic enters as the favorite after last year's victory, which propelled them to their 4th consecutive NXN appearance. A back-to-back victory won't come easily, as California's own Buchanan and St. Francis have strong cases for why they will walk away with the upper hand on Saturday night.
Last week, St. Francis dominated the Kim Duyst Twilight XC Invitational, posting a 17:42 average on that fast 5K course. Sophomore Alyssa Gutierrez broke her own course record with a 16:41, and they added transfer Ellison Williams, giving them a formidable 1-2 punch. On the other hand, Buchanan is returning six of last season's varsity runners, who won last year's CIF State XC meet merge. Plus, their #1 runner, Molly Sundgren, missed last year's Woodbridge and is already off to a hot start, setting personal records of 20 seconds or more on 2-mile courses in Central California.
The key to JSerra securing a back-to-back victory at Woodbridge will be replicating their PR City Invitational performance in late August. Reese Holley firmly established herself as the #1 runner, running 16:19, and Hutton Nelligan stepped up as the #5 runner, staying within 12 seconds of the team's top four runners.
El Toro (CA), Boulder (CO), San Clemente (CA), Herriman (UT), and Crater (OR) are also great teams to watch. The Boulder girls have confidence after their convincing win at the prestigious Liberty Bell XC Invitational in Colorado, while the Herriman girls are building confidence after winning the Timpanagos XC Invitational in Utah.
The biggest out-of-state question may be Union Catholic. The New Jersey program finished second to JSerra at Woodbridge last season before placing third at Nike Cross Nationals, but it will compete Saturday without Paige Sheppard and Sophia Thompson. Even with an abbreviated lineup, Union Catholic's depth should make it an important measuring stick for California's leading teams.
Can Abdinasir Hassan Conquer Another Mountain?
The individual boys race is headlined by Abdinasir Hassan of Northfield, Colorado, who is off to a fast start after a historic sophomore track season. In the spring, he ran the ninth-fastest high school boys 5000m of all time at 14:52 and clocked 4:00.40 in the mile, breaking the sophomore class record. His biggest win of the XC season so far came at the Liberty Bell XC Invitational, where he ran 14:24 and broke Parker Wolfe's course record.
To secure this victory, he'll have to take down the most competitive field he's seen yet this season, including Ruel Newberry, Kai Gutierrez, Garrett Faught, Blake Bay, Aidan Antonio, Jaxon Northcutt, and more. Antonio has the biggest advantages as the top returner (5th place in 2025), and he'll be competing in front of his home crowd. However, Texas juniors Ruel Newbury and Kai Gutierrez finished top 15 at NXN as sophomores last season and are more than ready for the bright lights of California.
Which Star Will Emerge at Woodbridge?
In recent years, the girls' sweepstakes at Woodbridge has become a showcase of the best girls in the nation. The Great Park has hosted incredible battles between Jane Hedengren, Rylee Blade, Elizabeth Leachman, Sadie Engelhardt, and Lily Alder, who've dominated national headlines.
Unlike in recent years, this field has no obvious national headliner. That uncertainty could make Saturday's race even more revealing, with several contenders capable of leaving Woodbridge as breakout stars of the 2026 season. Which star will be born on Saturday night?
Other contenders to watch: Reese Holley (JSerra Catholic - CA), Grace Keefe (Cathedral Catholic - CA), Maddie Carney (Caldera - OR), Bridget Smit (Brighton - UT), and McKenna Groen (Regis Jesuit - CO).
The 45th Annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic brings national contenders to Irvine for high-stakes team battles, individual breakthroughs, and a night that could reshape the 2026 XC season.
Can Herriman Win Their 5th Sweepstakes Race in a Row?
On Saturday, Herriman will go for their 5th Doug Speck Sweepstakes win in a row with a different head coach and their third #1 runner in four years. Three boys are returning from last year's Woodbridge win, including Trevin Lounsbury, who has quickly developed into a contender the nation needs to watch.