GIRLS' CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW: Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Who is the greatest of them all?
Team Rankings:
1. Saugus Centurions
- 9 state championships in the last 10 years (10 consecutive including the boys!)
- 8 CIF Southern Section titles in the 10 years (9 including the boys!)
- 10-time defending Foothill League varsity champions
- 10-time defending Foothill League junior varsity champions
- 11-time defending Foothill League frosh/soph champions
- SCV record-holders at Mt. SAC (88:20 in '08), Woodward Park (89:25 in '10), Central Park (89:55 in '15) & Castaic Lake (89:01 in '08)
For any Foothill League team with aspirations of taking down the Saugus girls this season, think again. Saugus returns five of its top eight - including three of its top four - from a program that dominated the league last fall. It's only a matter of time before the Lady Centurions take down Canyon's record for most consecutive league crowns (the Cowboys claimed 13 straight championships from 1992-2005).
Saugus is also on the brink of tying San Francisco University's state record for most state championships in a school's history (10 titles from 1996-2012) and sits tied for No. 6 among all high school sports programs - male and female - in California state history. Below is a video of head coach Jim Tracy and San Francisco University's inspiring journey to their eighth state crown in 2010 (Tracy led SFU to two more in 2011 and 2012):
Saugus is also on the brink of tying San Francisco University's state record for most state championships in a school's history (10 titles from 1996-2012) and sits tied for No. 6 among all high school sports programs - male and female - in California state history. Below is a video of head coach Jim Tracy and San Francisco University's inspiring journey to their eighth state crown in 2010 (Tracy led SFU to two more in 2011 and 2012):
Head coach Rene Paragas, once again, returns an impressive team, including the trio of Kaylee Thompson, last year's SCV Female Runner of the Year, Mariah Castillo, the 2016 Foothill League 1,600-meter champion, and Mackenna Park, a runner who won not one, not two, but five frosh/soph and junior varsity league championships during her sophomore campaign. Add in Jacqueline Cascione, the freshman course record-holder at Central Park, Victoria Hodge, a CIF qualifier over 1,600 meters, and Abby Davis, sixth at the 2014 Foothill League Cross Country Championships, and you have a squad that should dominate should they go to battle in division two this November.
It's very possible Saugus could move into division one and face four-time defending state champions Great Oak, though, ironic considering Doug Sole's squad is the team with the potential of breaking Saugus' record for most consecutive state crowns (seven from 2006-12) in the future.
In order to beat Great Oak, Saugus is going to have to be at its best. Of course we've seen them do it before, in 2011, when the Centurions took down national powerhouses Simi Valley and La Costa Canyon to win their sixth straight championship, despite losing five of their top eight girls.
The Saugus girls return a very talented group of young female runners this fall, including Savannah Sehenuk (5:35/11:45), Jakee Victoria (5:25/11:57), Hailey Pearson (5:30/11:50), Amaya Aguilar (2:31/5:35), Kristen Mohrhoff (2:19) and Shalya Cruz (2:31/5:32).
It's very possible Saugus could move into division one and face four-time defending state champions Great Oak, though, ironic considering Doug Sole's squad is the team with the potential of breaking Saugus' record for most consecutive state crowns (seven from 2006-12) in the future.
In order to beat Great Oak, Saugus is going to have to be at its best. Of course we've seen them do it before, in 2011, when the Centurions took down national powerhouses Simi Valley and La Costa Canyon to win their sixth straight championship, despite losing five of their top eight girls.
The Saugus girls return a very talented group of young female runners this fall, including Savannah Sehenuk (5:35/11:45), Jakee Victoria (5:25/11:57), Hailey Pearson (5:30/11:50), Amaya Aguilar (2:31/5:35), Kristen Mohrhoff (2:19) and Shalya Cruz (2:31/5:32).
2. Hart Indians
- 3rd @ 2015 Foothill League Varsity Championships
- 2nd @ 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph Championships
- 6th @ 2015 Foothill League Junior Varsity Championships
After a third-place finish at last year's Foothill League Cross Country Championships, the Hart girls return their entire varsity squad in 2016. The Indians are lead by senior Anely Avila and junior Sophia Pearson, two runners with impressive credentials in both cross country and track. Avila earned All-Foothill League second team honors at the finals - her best finish during league competition coming at Foothill League No. 2, where she finished fifth behind the Saugus quartet of Kaylee Thompson, Mariah Castillo, Ashley Heys and Sydney Suarez - and ran 5:17 and 11:33 on the track this spring. Pearson was the Indians' top female before injuries derailed the talent. She missed a majority of the 2016 track season.
The quintet of Lucy Yoshioka, Lily Bollinger, Lindsey Jacobsson, Lupe Alanis-Ruiz, and Maddison Smoak return with valuable experience and times convincing enough to slot them No. 2 in this year's pre-season rankings. Sophia's younger sister, Julia Pearson, will also debut for the Indians this September. The younger Pearson heads into her freshman year with personal bests of 2:35 for 800 meters, 5:33 for 1,500 meters (converts to 5:57 for 1,600 meters), and 11:36 for 3,000 meters (12:21 for 3,200 meters).
The quintet of Lucy Yoshioka, Lily Bollinger, Lindsey Jacobsson, Lupe Alanis-Ruiz, and Maddison Smoak return with valuable experience and times convincing enough to slot them No. 2 in this year's pre-season rankings. Sophia's younger sister, Julia Pearson, will also debut for the Indians this September. The younger Pearson heads into her freshman year with personal bests of 2:35 for 800 meters, 5:33 for 1,500 meters (converts to 5:57 for 1,600 meters), and 11:36 for 3,000 meters (12:21 for 3,200 meters).
3. West Ranch Wildcats
- 4th @ 2015 Foothill League Varsity Championships
- 3rd @ 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph Championships
- 2nd @ 2015 Foothill League Junior Varsity Championships
The fact that West Ranch's boys and girls program are still one of the best teams in the Foothill League year-to-year, despite enduring so many coaching changes, is a testament to how much talent they have. This year, former Golden Valley head coach Sara Soltani, will lead the Wildcats into the always competitive Foothill League. West Ranch is our clear pick for No. 3 this season, as they return a super young, talented team.
Leading the way up front is the sophomore duo of Shelbi Schauble and Sophia Hoelzel. Schauble finished sixth at last year's Foothill League Cross Country Championships and fifth in the 400-meter league finals in May, while teammate Hoelzel was 12th at the cross country finals and fourth in the 800-meter final. Second-through-fifth were separated by just 1.81 seconds.
Rounding out West Ranch's returning varsity runners is Peyton Washington, the 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity 800 runner-up, Avery El-Farra, 23rd in last fall's varsity cross country final, Mauri Dobbs, the 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph runner-up behind Saugus' Mackenna Park, Haley Fernandez, eighth in last year's frosh/soph cross country final, and Lauren Smith, eighth in the junior varsity 800 final.
Leading the way up front is the sophomore duo of Shelbi Schauble and Sophia Hoelzel. Schauble finished sixth at last year's Foothill League Cross Country Championships and fifth in the 400-meter league finals in May, while teammate Hoelzel was 12th at the cross country finals and fourth in the 800-meter final. Second-through-fifth were separated by just 1.81 seconds.
Rounding out West Ranch's returning varsity runners is Peyton Washington, the 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity 800 runner-up, Avery El-Farra, 23rd in last fall's varsity cross country final, Mauri Dobbs, the 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph runner-up behind Saugus' Mackenna Park, Haley Fernandez, eighth in last year's frosh/soph cross country final, and Lauren Smith, eighth in the junior varsity 800 final.
4. Canyon Cowboys
- 5th @ 2015 Foothill League Varsity Championships
- 4th @ 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph Championships
- 5th @ 2015 Foothill League Junior Varsity Championships
There's a big, big gap between the No. 3 and 4 returning teams this fall, but that doesn't mean the Canyon girls should be discounted just yet. The Cowboy coaching trio of Paul Broneer, Dave DeLong, and George Velarde have done more than enough over the last two decades to earn consideration year-after-year. The Canyon girls own the league record for most championships won in a row (13 from 1992-2005!) after all.
Canyon returns seniors Yee-Lynn Wong and Rosa Hernandez, two proven distance runners in both cross country and track. Wong ran huge personal bests of 5:21 for 1,600 meters and 11:24 for 3,200 meters and look primed for a big senior year for the Cowboys, while Hernandez owns a personal best of 11:41 over eight laps, a mark only the Saugus quintet of Mariah Castillo, Kaylee Thompson, Mackenna Park, Jacqueline Cascione and Abby Davis, Hart's Anely Avila, and teammate Wong have run faster than.
Senior Seanna Nalbandyan, a runner with 59.56 quarter speed and the defending Foothill League 300-meter hurdles champion - and Foothill League 100-meter hurdles runner-up - also returns for the Cowboys, who finished fifth at last year's league finals, in 2015.
Canyon returns seniors Yee-Lynn Wong and Rosa Hernandez, two proven distance runners in both cross country and track. Wong ran huge personal bests of 5:21 for 1,600 meters and 11:24 for 3,200 meters and look primed for a big senior year for the Cowboys, while Hernandez owns a personal best of 11:41 over eight laps, a mark only the Saugus quintet of Mariah Castillo, Kaylee Thompson, Mackenna Park, Jacqueline Cascione and Abby Davis, Hart's Anely Avila, and teammate Wong have run faster than.
Senior Seanna Nalbandyan, a runner with 59.56 quarter speed and the defending Foothill League 300-meter hurdles champion - and Foothill League 100-meter hurdles runner-up - also returns for the Cowboys, who finished fifth at last year's league finals, in 2015.
5. Golden Valley Grizzlies
- 2nd @ 2015 Foothill League Varsity Championships
- 5th @ 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph Championships
- 4th @ 2015 Foothill League Junior Varsity Championships
The Golden Valley girls enjoys its best season in school history last fall, including a historic Foothill League Cross Country Championship, where senior Bianca Tinoco ended Saugus' 10-year reign of individual crowns, teammate Mykasia Simpkins snagged a bronze ahead of Ashley Heys, one of Saugus' most decorated distance runners ever, and former head coach Sara Soltani helped the Grizzlies to a runner-up finish behind the Centurions. All three have departed since, leaving a lot of questions circling the program.
Aylin Gonzalez, who held off the Saugus trio of Abby Davis, Jakee Victoria and Hailey Pearson for a bronze medal at May's Foothill League Junior Varsity 3,200-meter final, returns as Golden Valley's top runner, while sisters Madisyn and Myranda Gudino also return for the Grizzlies. Gabrielle Payre, the top Golden Valley returnee from last fall's varsity final - having finished 18th - also returns for her senior season.
Aylin Gonzalez, who held off the Saugus trio of Abby Davis, Jakee Victoria and Hailey Pearson for a bronze medal at May's Foothill League Junior Varsity 3,200-meter final, returns as Golden Valley's top runner, while sisters Madisyn and Myranda Gudino also return for the Grizzlies. Gabrielle Payre, the top Golden Valley returnee from last fall's varsity final - having finished 18th - also returns for her senior season.
6. Valencia Vikings
- 6th @ 2015 Foothill League Varsity Championships
- 6th @ 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph Championships
- 4th @ 2015 Foothill League Junior Varsity Championships
The Vikings have a lot of work to do if they have ambitions of joining the Foothill League's best in 2016 and beyond. Returning for Valencia this fall is Kristen Walker, third in the 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity 1,600 Final and fourth in the 800 final. The junior quartet of Shannon Agnes, Leah Yohannes, Kristen Tabia and Justine Du - 31st, 32nd, 33rd and 37th at last year's cross country final - also return in 2016.
Individual Rankings:
1. Kaylee Thompson, Saugus, Senior (1)
Thompson, now a senior at Saugus, leads a squad looking to tie San Francisco University's state record for most state championships in a school's history (10). The former Valencia runner is the No. 2 returner in the state among division two competitors, after an impressive seventh-place finish that saw her run the ninth fastest time at Woodward Park by an high schooler in Santa Clarita Valley history. She was named the 2015 SCV Female Runner of the Year in January. Thompson, then, enjoyed a solid junior track campaign, where she really turned on the jets at the Foothill League Track & Field Championships in May, finishing an impressive second behind former teammate and future San Luis Obispo runner Ashley Heys in her first sub-11-minute clocking ever (10:56.83). She returns as the favorite to win this fall's Foothill League crown.
Personal Bests: 18:09 @ Mt. SAC 17:52 @ Woodward Park 17:38 @ Central Park 10:56 for 3,200 meters 5:03 for 1,600 meters 2:19 for 800 meters Accomplishments: 2015 SCV Female Runner of the Year 7th @ 2015 CIF State XC Finals 2015 Foothill League XC Runner-up Junior course record-holder at Central Park 2016 Foothill League 3,200 Runner-up 2015 Foothill League Junior Varsity 1,600 & 3,200 Champion Foothill League Junior Varsity Championship record-holder over 3,200 |
2. Mariah Castillo, Saugus, Junior (2)
Saugus' Castillo showed everyone in attendance at May's Foothill League Track & Field Championships just how high her ceiling is when healthy. The then-sophomore won her first league crown over teammate Ashley Heys in the 1,600-meter final, putting her in position to possibly win three titles in a row during her junior and senior seasons. Only Shannon Murakami and Lauren Fleshman have accomplished that feat...Castillo has all the tools to win an individual state championship this November if Saugus remains in division two. The junior was the Lady Centurions' top runner last season until a stress reaction had her sidelined for a month. She still returned, finishing a courageous 20th at the state final, helping the program to a historic 10th consecutive team championship (9 girls, 1 boy), and enjoyed an impressive junior track campaign.
Personal Bests: 17:49 @ Mt. SAC 18:17 @ Woodward Park 17:50 @ Central Park 10:48 for 3,200 meters 4:59 for 1,600 meters 2:19 for 800 meters Accomplishments: 20th @ 2015 CIF State XC Finals 2016 Foothill League 1,600 Champion 4th in 2016 Foothill League 3,200 Finals 2015 Foothill League 3,200 Runner-up Sophomore course record-holder at Central Park 5th in 2015 Foothill League 1,600 Finals 2014 Daily News XC Newcomer of the Year |
3. Mackenna Park, Saugus, Junior (7)
Park showed the world just how good she is at the Foothill League Track & Field Finals two months ago, becoming just the second in championship history to sweep the junior varsity 4x4-meter relay, 800, 1,600 and 3,200 crowns following former Saugus runner Melissa Kado in 2009. In that meet, the ex-soccer player, broke teammate Thompson's 1,600-meter meet record (5:12) and set personal bests during her three other wins (11:22, 2:22, 59.6). Her quadruple followed a stunning sophomore cross country season, where she won the frosh/soph league title and finished 60th in just her third varsity race ever. After a stellar year in the sport, Mackenna Park is just scratching the surface of her potential.
Personal Bests: 19:30 @ Mt. SAC 18:51 @ Woodward Park 19:24 @ Central Park 11:22 for 3,200 meters 5:06 for 1,600 meters 2:21 for 800 meters Accomplishments: 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity Champion (4x4, 800, 1,600, 3,200) Foothill League Junior Varsity Championship record-holder over 1,600 60th @ 2015 CIF State XC Finals 2015 Foothill League Frosh/Soph XC Champion 2015 Foothill League Junior Varsity 400 Champion |
4. Jacqueline Cascione, Saugus, Sophomore (9)
Like former Centurion runners Amber Murakami and Ashley Heys, Saugus' Cascione is the bridge holding the past and future of Saugus cross country together. Cascione enjoyed a memorable freshman year, setting the all-time freshman course record at Central Park (18:28) and finishing as Saugus' No. 6 runner at the CIF State Cross Country Finals and finishing second behind teammate Mackenna Park during May's Foothill League Junior Varsity 1,600 and 3,200-meter finals. She also made an appearance on Saugus' winning 4x400-meter relay team.
Personal Bests: 19:17 @ Mt. SAC 19:11 @ Woodward Park 18:28 @ Central Park 11:24 for 3,200 meters 5:15 for 1,600 meters 2:26 for 800 meters Accomplishments: 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity 4x4 Champion 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity 1,600 & 3,200 Runner-up 86th @ 2015 CIF State XC Finals 11th @ 2015 Foothill League XC Finals Freshman course record-holder at Central Park |
5. Anely Avila, Hart, Senior (11)
The first half of Avila's junior cross country season was an impressive one, as she was one of the top Foothill League finishers at the Seaside Invitational last September and denied Saugus a 1-5 sweep in holding off freshman Jacqueline Cascione for fifth place at Foothill League Meet No. 2. The Hart standout flashed signs of brilliance at the end of the spring track season, clocking personal bests of 5:17 and 11:33 around the oval. With another super Saugus girls squad ready to roll this fall, Avila is one of a handful that could prevent Saugus a 1-5 sweep at this November's Foothill League Cross Country Championships.
6. Shelbi Schauble, West Ranch, Sophomore (10)
West Ranch's Schauble, half of the Wildcat's super-quick sophomore duo, has incredible range, having finished sixth at last fall's Foothill League Cross Country Finals and fifth in the 400-meter final during May's track and field finals. Schauble's range makes her a favorite to finish top five at this year's finals against a tough Saugus team, Hart's Anely Avila and Sophia Pearson, and Canyon's Yee-Lynn Wong and Rosa Hernandez.
7. Sophia Hoelzel, West Ranch, Sophomore (13)
The second half of West Ranch's sophomore duo comes in the form of Hoelzel. The Wildcat enjoyed an impressive freshman year, which included a 12th place finish at the Foothill League Cross Country Championships. Around the oval, Hoelzel clocked 2:17.97, the sixth fastest mark by a freshman in SCV history and just missed out on a berth to the CIF post-season. Saugus' Kristen Mohrhoff edged the ninth-grader 2:19.08-2:19.45 over the last 50 meters of the 2016 final in May. Hoelzel also a 19:15 over Woodward Park's hilly 5,000-meter layout to her name, showing she's great over all distances and terrains.
8. Victoria Hodge, Saugus, Senior (NR)
Saugus' Hodge is one of the most gritty athletes in the Foothill League, and it showed when she made a calculated risk in going out with teammates Mariah Castillo and Ashley Heys in May's Foothill League 1,600 Finals. The move proved to be an amazing one, as Hodge held on for the bronze medal, a new personal best of 5:17 (she lowered it to 5:16 a week later) and her first CIF race. Yes, her FIRST post-season race! Her junior track campaign proved what hard work and dedication to go to a runner. Hodge was only Saugus' No. 10 runner during last fall's cross country season. A year later, the Saugus dynasty will rely heavily on the ice skater's grit to bring home state championship No. 11 on Nov. 26.
9. Yee-Lynn Wong, Canyon, Senior (NR)
Canyon's Wong has consistently been one of the Cowboy's top runners over the last three seasons and should lead the way, once again, in 2015. Wong had a stellar junior track season, throwing down big personal bests of 5:21 over 1,600 meters and 11:24 at May's Foothill League 3,200 Finals in finishing fifth behind the Saugus trio of Ashley Heys, Kaylee Thompson and Mariah Castillo, and Golden Valley's Mykasia Simpkins. In cross country, Wong earned All-Foothill League second team honors in helping the Canyon girls to a fifth place in league competition.
10. Abby Davis, Saugus, Junior (15)
Many forget just how good Abby Davis was as a freshman. Davis earned All-Foothill League first team accolades in finishing sixth at the 2014 Foothill League Cross Country Championships and clocked a huge personal best of 18:40 at Mt. SAC as a ninth-grader. Only teammates Thompson and Castillo return with better personal bests (17:49 and 18:09). Even at Woodward Park, the site of the state championships, only Thompson, Castillo and Park are better than Davis' personal best on the 5,000-meter layout. When at her best, Davis is light-years better than every non-Saugus runner in the Foothill League. Remember, times don't lie and talent never goes away...
Personal Bests: 18:40 @ Mt. SAC 19:11 @ Woodward Park 18:48 @ Central Park 11:41 for 3,200 meters 5:20 for 1,600 meters Accomplishments: 4th in 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity 1,600 Finals 5th in 2016 Foothill League Junior Varsity 1,600 Finals 15th @ 2015 Foothill League XC Finals 6th @ 2014 Foothill League XC Finals |
Three Burning Questions
1. Is Saugus girls' cross country the greatest program in California high school sports history?
There's no doubt Saugus head coach Rene Paragas and his decorated dynasty's accomplishments over the last decade are underrated in the Santa Clarita Valley. After the Lady Centurions won a second consecutive state championship in 2007, the city threw a parade at Westfield Mall for the ladies who made SCV history that fall. Fast forward eight years...Saugus has now won 10 consecutive titles, one more than all the other SCV high school sports combined. If this was football, chances are they'd be lighting fireworks in their honor 365 days of the year...
What the Saugus girls' cross country program has done over the last decade is something you most likely won't see again during this lifetime. There's only FIVE sports programs in high school state history - male and female - that have won 10 or more state championships during their school's history. The Lady Centurions deserve to be in the conversation for 'greatest program in California sports prep history," though, because no one in golden state history has ever won nine crowns in just 10 years. Their only loss in the 2013 final was by a close five points to Simi Valley, where they were missing their No. 2 runner, Abigail Frankian, who missed a majority of the season with a torn plantar fasciaiitis.
At an alumni BBQ Monday evening, recent graduate Ashley Heys was quoted saying, "I didn't want to wake up the next morning," when 2013 was brought up. Instead of the newspaper headlines reading, "Saugus boys win first state title," articles talked about how the girls lost for the first time in eight years. Heys has no reason to be disappointed, though, because that loss in 2013 may be the best team performance in SCV history.
Not only that, but Saugus has done it in the hardest divisions (division one and two!), against some of the best teams in state history (Simi Valley, La Costa Canyon, Mira Costa and Redondo Union to name a few), despite enduring a slew of injuries and illnesses throughout its 10-year run.
Programs in California HS sports history with more than seven state crowns:
14 - Long Beach Poly girls' track and field (1992-2014)
13 - Clovis boys' wrestling (1974-2013)
11 - Mater Dei boys' basketball (1989-2014)
10 - Long Beach Poly boys' track and field (1928-2011)
10 - San Francisco University girls' cross country (1996-2012)
9 - Brea-Olinda girls' basketball (1989-2009)
9 - McFarland boys' cross country (1987-2001)
9 - Jesuit boys' cross country (1989-2006)
9 - St. Francis girls' volleyball (1993-2010)
9 - Saugus girls' cross country (2006-15)
8 - Crenshaw boys' basketball (1983-97)
8 - Jefferson boys' track and field (1938-64)
8 - Muir boys' track and field (1934-96)
8 - Archbishop Mitty girls' volleyball (1993-2009)
7 - Mira Costa girls' volleyball (1982-2007)
7 - Santa Ana Calvary Chapel wrestling (1993-2001)
7 - Corona Del Mar girls' cross country (1992-2009)
7 - Manual Arts boys' track and field (1915-58)
7 - St. Mary's girls' basketball (2000-11)
What the Saugus girls' cross country program has done over the last decade is something you most likely won't see again during this lifetime. There's only FIVE sports programs in high school state history - male and female - that have won 10 or more state championships during their school's history. The Lady Centurions deserve to be in the conversation for 'greatest program in California sports prep history," though, because no one in golden state history has ever won nine crowns in just 10 years. Their only loss in the 2013 final was by a close five points to Simi Valley, where they were missing their No. 2 runner, Abigail Frankian, who missed a majority of the season with a torn plantar fasciaiitis.
At an alumni BBQ Monday evening, recent graduate Ashley Heys was quoted saying, "I didn't want to wake up the next morning," when 2013 was brought up. Instead of the newspaper headlines reading, "Saugus boys win first state title," articles talked about how the girls lost for the first time in eight years. Heys has no reason to be disappointed, though, because that loss in 2013 may be the best team performance in SCV history.
Not only that, but Saugus has done it in the hardest divisions (division one and two!), against some of the best teams in state history (Simi Valley, La Costa Canyon, Mira Costa and Redondo Union to name a few), despite enduring a slew of injuries and illnesses throughout its 10-year run.
Programs in California HS sports history with more than seven state crowns:
14 - Long Beach Poly girls' track and field (1992-2014)
13 - Clovis boys' wrestling (1974-2013)
11 - Mater Dei boys' basketball (1989-2014)
10 - Long Beach Poly boys' track and field (1928-2011)
10 - San Francisco University girls' cross country (1996-2012)
9 - Brea-Olinda girls' basketball (1989-2009)
9 - McFarland boys' cross country (1987-2001)
9 - Jesuit boys' cross country (1989-2006)
9 - St. Francis girls' volleyball (1993-2010)
9 - Saugus girls' cross country (2006-15)
8 - Crenshaw boys' basketball (1983-97)
8 - Jefferson boys' track and field (1938-64)
8 - Muir boys' track and field (1934-96)
8 - Archbishop Mitty girls' volleyball (1993-2009)
7 - Mira Costa girls' volleyball (1982-2007)
7 - Santa Ana Calvary Chapel wrestling (1993-2001)
7 - Corona Del Mar girls' cross country (1992-2009)
7 - Manual Arts boys' track and field (1915-58)
7 - St. Mary's girls' basketball (2000-11)
2. Is Saugus' Mariah Castillo the next big name in Foothill League sports?
After Mariah Castillo's seventh-place finish in the 2016 CIF Southern Section Division II 1,600 Finals, head coach Rene Paragas pulled the then-sophomore aside and told her something she remembers to this day -- "You have two more years and this will be the last time you lose," said Paragas to a disappointed Castillo...The 2016 version of Mariah Castillo is A LOT different than the one we saw last year in every way.
Castillo, now a junior at Saugus, has yet to make her 2016 debut, but something tells us she's in for a big year. She's already had a magnificent first two years for the Saugus girls, scoring on the last two state championship teams for the mighty Centurions and winning the 2016 Foothill League 1,600-meter title. The two biggest performances of her prep career came during regular season meets, the 2014 Woodbridge Invitational (17:00 as a freshman!) and last fall's Sundodger Invitational (17:33 5K for third!). Around the oval, she time trialed a 4:59 mile as a ninth-grader and at the Canyon vs. Saugus Dual in April, she surprised everyone, including herself, in running a 59.66 quarter. I pinpoint these four races because they're amazing.
When at her best, Mariah Castillo is the class of the field. If she stays healthy, don't expect the junior to lose to another Foothill League competitor for the remainder of her high school cross country and track career.
Castillo, now a junior at Saugus, has yet to make her 2016 debut, but something tells us she's in for a big year. She's already had a magnificent first two years for the Saugus girls, scoring on the last two state championship teams for the mighty Centurions and winning the 2016 Foothill League 1,600-meter title. The two biggest performances of her prep career came during regular season meets, the 2014 Woodbridge Invitational (17:00 as a freshman!) and last fall's Sundodger Invitational (17:33 5K for third!). Around the oval, she time trialed a 4:59 mile as a ninth-grader and at the Canyon vs. Saugus Dual in April, she surprised everyone, including herself, in running a 59.66 quarter. I pinpoint these four races because they're amazing.
When at her best, Mariah Castillo is the class of the field. If she stays healthy, don't expect the junior to lose to another Foothill League competitor for the remainder of her high school cross country and track career.
3. Will the Cowboys produce another star this season?
Over the last few seasons Canyon has some really big talents in the form of Natalie Rodriguez and Kyla Danforth. Even last year, Stephanie Martinez was clutch for the Cowboys, despite dividing her time between sports. None of the three were particular standouts, but really broke out during their senior campaigns. This year, seniors Yee-Lynn Wong and Rosa Hernandez, both two of the best in the Foothill League over the last couple seasons, return with a lot of experience. Wong clocked huge personal bests of 5:21 and 11:24 around the oval a few months, while Hernandez improved over the last half of the season, running 11:44 over 3,200 meters. Both are looking to help Canyon return to CIF in 2016.