SGV Girls Rankings – Week 3: Claremont is Way Up

The Claremont girls are three-time defending CIF Champs and two-time defending State Champs, so they came into 2018 as the class of the SGV. But even starting from a high level, the Wolfpack have taken a big step forward. Returning four of their first five from 2017, they’ve add super frosh Maddie Coles (#4 in the SGV) and those four have run an average of 53 seconds faster than at this time last year.

The two biggest surprises have been Bonita and South Pasadena. The Bearcats have made a big collective jump under first-year coach (and Bonita alum) Amanda Seibert, while the Tigers scored two frosh and two big step-ups in their opener.

These rankings are based only on times achieved in the first three weeks of the season, not on potential. Teams with injured athletes or runners who haven’t competed yet, like pre-season #2 Mayfield, will likely rise in the rankings later when those athletes run.

2018 San Gabriel Valley XC Rankings – Week 3

1. Claremont (Pre-Season – 1st)
2. Walnut (3rd)
3. La Cañada (5th)
4. Bishop Amat (4th)
5. Bonita (NR)
6. La Serna (8th)
7. Arcadia (9th)
8. California (6th)
9. South Pasadena (NR)
10. Glendora (10th)

Detailed Team Analysis through the Top 15 after the jump

2018 San Gabriel Valley XC Rankings – Week 3

#1 – Claremont (Pre-Season Rank: #1)

Honors: 1st – Cool Breeze Invitational  Ranked: #1 CIF-SS Div. 2

League Ranking: 1st in the Palomares League

Notes: The Wolfpack go from strength to strength. Their B-team won their Varsity divisional race Saturday at Woodbridge, and that second team would rank 4th in the SGV. Some of their strongest competition this year will be between Claremont girls trying to make it into their first seven.

#2 – Walnut (#3)

Honors: 1st – Rosemead Invitational, 8th Woodbridge Sweeps  Ranked: #7 CIF-SS Div. 1

League Ranking: 1st in the Hacienda League

Notes: Senior Chloe Arriaga has been a four year star, but this year her sister Emma and soph Anastasia Sloan and junior Amanda Ghibaudo have made big jumps, running 70 seconds per person ahead of where they were at this time last year. Their biggest challenge is closing a 90 second gap from 4 to 5.

#3 – La Cañada  (#5)

Honors: 8th – Cool Breeze Invitational, 10th Woodbridge Invite Rated  Ranked: 7th – CIF-SS Div. 4

League Ranking: 1st – Rio Hondo League

Notes: The Spartans have been propelled by the 90 second improvement of soph Ellaney Matarese, stepping into the front-runner role when last year’s #1 chose not to return to team. #2 Sarah Auther and #3 Adena DiPaulo have made solid incremental improvements, but their gap from 4-5 could limit their post-season possibilities.

#4 – Bishop Amat Lancers (#4)

Honors: 1st – The Great Cow Run – Small Schools Division  Ranking: #9 – CIF-SS Div. 4

League Ranking: 1st – Del Rey League

Notes: Frontrunners Morgan Rust and Olivia Paez are solidly ahead of last year’s progression, and have been joined at the front by soph Marissa Arredondo. Solid 4-6 runners have emerged, so the Lancers’ post-season will depend on solid progression for the whole squad.

#5 – Bonita (NR)

Honors: 1st - Cool Breeze Invite – Varsity Division Race

Ranking: Not in CIF Div. 3 Top 10

League Ranking: #4 in the Palomares League

Notes: Our first big surprise of the season, the Bearcats land at #5 based on big improvements, and an athlete returning to the team and a good frosh. Team leader Lorelei Claxton is running a minute ahead of last year and #4 Sophia Guzman has made a two minute jump from 2017 when she was the team’s #5. Frosh Alexa Garcia and Joelle Vargas’ return to the team give them a solid five. Their biggest challenge will be getting out of their league. Ranked fourth in the powerful Palomares, they are currently closer to sixth than third, so they may need a CIF ranking to advance as an at-large team.

#6 – La Serna (#8)

Honors: 8th – Fastback Invite  Ranking: Unranked CIF-SS Div. 1

League Ranking  – #2 in the Del Rio League

Notes: The Lancers returned their top 5 from last year, and junior Maddie Franco is running as the team’s #2 after sitting out last year. Front runner Alexis Saucedo has made a 90 second jump from 2017, and the other three scorers are well ahead of last year. They were 1 point behind perennial Del Rio champ in a league scoring merge and project to be right on the edge of making CIF Finals, so this should be an exciting year for this emerging team.

#7 – California (#6)

Honors: 6th – The Great Cow Run  Ranking: Unranked CIF-SS Div. 1

League Ranking: 1st – Del Rio League

Notes: Zoe Gurule and Stephanie Reynoso were the Condors only returners from 2017’s League Champ and 17th placed CIF team and they’re this year’s front runners. The real progress has come from the #3-7 runners, most notably junior Lynette Rubio who is 75 seconds ahead of her pace from last year. All seven will need to progress to hold off La Serna for the league title and to return to CIF Finals.

#8 – Arcadia (#9)

Ranking: Unranked in CIF-SS Div. 1

League Ranking: 4th in the Pacific League

Notes: #1 Joyce Wu was the only returner from last year’s Top 7 and she has been solid in each race. #2 Kira Graves and #3 Neha Athavale have made huge improvements from last year and they have the Apaches on the edge of contention. Two expected contributors have not competed yet, and they will need to contribute for the team to advance out of their league and return to CIF Finals.

#9 – South Pasadena (NR)

Ranking: Unranked in CIF-SS Div. 4

League Ranking: 1st – Rio Hondo League

Notes: The Tigers graduated four from the team that placed 15th in the CIF-SS Div. 3 year, and their #1 from ’17 has not returned to the team. No problem. Last year’s #5 Elizabeth Bock and non-Varsity returner Sarah Uriarte posted big improvements in their opener at Woodbridge. Two frosh rounded out the scoring, notably Sydney Morrow, whose 18:16 led the team and ranks #2 among SGV frosh girls. Perhaps overlooked in this weeks rankings, the Tigers should be contenders for a spot in the Div. 4 CIF Finals and the State meet.

#10 – Glendora  (#10)

Ranking: Unranked in CIF-SS Div. 2

League Ranking – 6th in the Palomares League

Notes: The Tartans returned five of their seven from 2017. Soph Emma Barrosa has emerged as the new front runner, but only senior Avery Kuehfuss has made a sizable jump from last year. Competing in the tough Palomares League, they will all need to progress over the year to grab a CIF qualifying spot

Next 5

#11 – Santa Fe  (NR)

Senior Katie Bautista (18:03/19th SGV) is leading a resurgent Chiefs program that is likely to qualify for CIF and could challenge Cal Hi and La Serna for the Del Rio crown.

#12 – Mayfield (#2)

The Cubs #2 from 2017 has not returned to the team, and their #1 – the extraordinary soph Audrey Suarez has competed yet. With Suarez, they are probably 4th in the SGV. Without, they’re here.

#14 – Rosemead Panthers (#13)

Senior Melanie Mach, winner of the Small Schools race at her schools invite, has led her team to solid start to the year.

#13 – Flintridge Prep (#7)

The Rebels were league winners and CIF and State Div. 5 Champs in 2017, they remain ranked CIF ranked #2 this year. Their returners have not shown a big improvement yet, and they don’t have any hot newcomers, so they will need progress all year.

#15 – Alhambra  (NR)

The Moors are defending Almont champs, and likely winners again, but this year, led by big improvements from Serena Duenas and Alyssa Romero their early season results project to a possible spot in the CIF-SS Div. 2 Finals.

 Previously Ranked…

• Flintridge Sacred Heart (#11)
• St. Lucy’s (#12)
• Arroyo (#14)
• La Mirada (#15)