SGV Boys Rankings – Week 3: Claremont Extends Their Lead

Defending CIF-SS Div. 2 Champs Claremont began the season with a small edge in the pre-season rankings, but off of early performances, the Wolfpack has run away from the field.

Adding a transfer and a soph making a big jump in performance to their scorers, and having seven (!) boys already under 15:00, in a hypothetical SGV meet, Claremont would put 5 in the first 9 and all seven in the first 14.

It’s early, and teams are performing to expectations. Perhaps the biggest surprise has been the early results of Glendora under first-year coach Brandon Ortiz (formerly of Baldwin Park)

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, 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. Arcadia (3rd)
  3. California (4th)
  4. La Serna (2nd)
  5. Arroyo (7th)
  6. Rowland (5th)
  7. Bonita (9th)
  8. South Pasadena (6th)
  9. Glendora (13th)
  10. Flintridge Prep (11th)

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: Top returners Aaron Reyes and Vicente Huerta are well ahead of last year’s pace, and Ryan Cowgill is back to full-strength after a limited 2017. New to their scorers, so far, are soph Jack Keough-Lansford, making that big second year jump, and transfer Jacob Moran, who presaged his XC contribution with a 4:17 1600 for the Wolfpack last spring.

#2 – Arcadia  (#3)

Honors: 2nd The Great Cow Run, 11th Woodbridge Sweeps  Ranked: #7 CIF-SS Div. 1

League Ranking: 1st in the Pacific League

Notes: The Apaches are off to a strong start with the a league win and a return to the State meet now within range. Returning their top two, the need for new coach (and Arcadia alum) Chris Lee  was to fill out the scorers. Junior Jacob Hsu and soph Tianyuan Pei have stepped up admirably, along with senior transfer from Texas Alec Fernandez – each is running over a minute ahead of last year’s progression.

#3 – California (#4)

Honors: 4th – The Great Cow Run, 13th Woodbridge Sweeps  Ranked: 8th – CIF-SS Div. 4

League Ranking: 1st – Del Rio League

Notes: The always strong Condors only returned two from last years 9th place CIF team, but this deep program has reloaded. Those two returners, seniors Andres Espinoza and Angel Salinas have led the way – both were under 15:00 at Woodbridge. But they are strong 1-5, with only 32 gap and look solid for a high CIF finish and maybe a return to the State meet.

#4 – La Serna  (#2)

Honors: 1st – Fastback Invite; 19th Woodbridge Sweeps  Ranking: #10 – CIF-SS Div. 1

League Ranking: 2nd – Del Rey League

Notes: The Lancers have big hopes for 2018 after advancing to CIF Finals last year and returning six from that team. They took another big step at Woodbridge, with every man 1-7 PR-ing and team leader Jesse Montez going sub 15:00. Things look good for a high CIF finish, and in a Del Rio League merge, they are just one point behind Cal Hi.

#5 – Arroyo (7th)

Honors: 3rd - Fastback Invite; 2nd – Rosemead Invite  Ranking: Not in CIF Div. 2 Top 10

League Ranking: #1 in the Mission Valley League

Notes: Another rising team, Knights are led by SGV #1 Noah Hibbard, who was joined at sub-15:00 by junior Josh Orellana. Their other scorers have also made big early season improvements, so the Knights have the possibility of a Top 10 CIF finish, but they’ll need to carry their September quality to November

#6 – Rowland  (5th)

Honors: 14th – Woodbridge Invite Rated Race  Ranking: Unranked CIF-SS Div. 2

League Ranking  – #1 in the Valle Vista League

Notes: CIF finalists the past two years, the Raiders only returned two scorers - John Martinez and Rafael Alcaraz and they’ve led the way so far. Martinez improved nicely with a 15:03 at Woodbridge. #4 Brandon Rodriguez has the biggest improvement in a scoring group where no one has made a big jump – yet. Likely CIF Finalists again, they’ll need improvement 1-5 to challenge for a Top 10 spot in the very difficult CIF-SS Div. 2

#7 – Bonita (9th)

Honors: 1st – Cool Breeze Varsity Race   Ranking: Unranked CIF-SS Div. 3

League Ranking: 3rd – Palomares League

Notes: Returning five of seven, the Bearcats had high hopes for 2017, and they probably need to set them higher. Running well ahead of last year’s pace, they’re led by the emergence of soph Daniel Echeveste who is the SGV’s #3 10th grader. #2 Nicolas Acosta has also made a nice improvement. Unranked in Div. 3 (perhaps an oversight – we rate them a Top 10 team right now) their first challenge will just be getting out of the tough Palomares League

#8 – South Pasadena (#6)

Ranking: #4 in CIF-SS Div. 4

League Ranking: 1st in the Rio Hondo League

Notes: Returning six of seven, and moving from Div. 3 to Div. 4, the Tigers have high hopes of ending their season in Fresno. They had a solid opener at Woodbridge despite at least one expected scorer being held out. New #1 Kai Dettman has made a big jump from 2017, as have several other likely scorers.

#9 – Glendora  (13th)

Ranking: Unranked in CIF-SS Div. 4

League Ranking: 4th – Palomares League

Notes: Senior Michael Thompson has led the Tartans to a big early season improvement from 2017. Michael is running about 75 seconds faster in each race so far, while the team has made huge jump, running over 5 minutes faster than last year. The Tartans have not advanced from their league since 2013, but that will not come easily. Ranked 4th, just behind Bonita, they will be a four team battle for the Palomares’ final qualifying spot

#10 – Flintridge Prep (11th)

Ranking: 1st in CIF-SS Div. 5

League Ranking – 1st in the Prep League

Notes: 3rd at CIF in 2017, the Rebels returned all but their #1, and their still young group is off to a good start for this year. As expected, senior Carson Hasbrouck is their leader, running a solid 15:15 at Cool Breeze. With only a 75 second gap, they are a solid bet to contend for the CIF and State title this year.

Next 5

#11 – Damien  (NR)

A solid group without a strong front-runner, the Spartans are on the upswing. Advancing from the Baseline League will be a challenge, but they project to be ranked in the Top 16 in Div. 3 when the rankings expand, so the advancing to CIF Finals remains an achievable goal.

#12 – Walnut  (NR)

This a young team, with only one senior in their first 7, and they’ve already made big jumps this year, led by junior Jessie Alvarado. Winners of the first Hacienda League meet, they’ll advance, but will need even more big improvements to be CIF finalists.

#13 – Pioneer  (NR)

The Titans labored for years as the small school in the Del Rio League. Moving this year to the new 605 League, they will very likely be league champs and advance to the first time in years and making the Div. 4 Finals is definitely in the cards

#14 – Los Altos (NR)

With no clear frontrunners, the Conquerers depend on a tight pack, with only 30 seconds separating 1 from 5. Second to Walnut in the first Hacienda Meet, they have a excellent chance to make the CIF-SS Div. 3 Finals.

#15 – South Hills  (15th)

Getting clear of the Palomares League will help the Huskies – they should be the third qualifier from the Hacienda League, and could make the CIF-SS Div. 3 Finals,

 Previously Ranked…

  • El Rancho (#8)
  • La Mirada (#10)
  • Whittier (#12)
  • Bishop Amat (#14)

 

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SGV Track & XC

This site is maintained by Bob Ramsey – a SGV T&F athlete (Arroyo ’80), and former coach at Glendora HS and Meet Director of the SGV Champs. Bob is currently Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Whittier College