2025 XC StanCo PreSeason Girls

 

If you want to understand this post or my thought process please read the previous post about the Boys' PreSeason team.

 

I will start by saying that I believe that this year's girls' team is the best ever (fastest) StanCo squad ever. Four of the members are easily ranked in the top ten StanCo runners ever by any measure. Add to that they have at least another year to improve on their past efforts!

 

TOP TEN

 

NATALIE ARRIAZA 12th (Patterson)--What is left for Nat to prove? She is certainly in the top three StanCo runners ever. She owes the fastest StanCo time at Woodward Park of 17:43. She ran 18:43 at Willow Hills and on the track she has produced 10:35, 4:58, and 2:20. She was All StanCo XC in 23 and 24 and in track in 23, 24, and 25. On her worst day (which she rarely has) she is still great.

 

GISELLE FERNANDEZ 12th (Riverbank)--Giselle holds the StanCo record in the 1600 at 4:43...which is 10 seconds faster than the #2 person. She was 4th in last year's D4 State race in 17:48. At Willow hills she ran 19:23. On the track (besides the 1600m time) she has run 10:45 and 2:14. She was All StanCo XC in 23 and 24. In track she earned All StanCo honors in 23, 24, and 25.

 

AVERY CARLSON 12th (Pitman)--the best surprise for me last season was the explosion of marks by a healthy Avery Carlson. She ran 19:02 at Willow Hills and 18:24 at Woodward. On the track her bests were 10:41, 4:59, and 2:22. She was All StanCo in XC in 23 and 24, and in track it was 24 and 25.

 

ELLE WILLIAMS 10th (Turlock)--Elle blow out her Frosh season and immediately she put everyone on notice that she was "FO REAL." She ran 20:04 at Willow Hills and 19:30 and Woodward. In Track she found her groove with times of 10:55, 5:10, and 2:25. She was All StanCo last year in both XC and track.

 

ADDISON WYLIE 10th (Oakdale)--if it hadn't been overshadowed by Elle's season I'd be raving about Addison's frosh year. She ran 19:38 at Willow Hills and 18:55 at Woodward. On the track it was 11:22 and 5:22. She was also All StanCo in both XC and track last season.

JYMENA NGUYEN-MARQUEZ 12th (Grace Davis)--Jymena has run 19:19 at Willow Hills and 18:57 at Woodward. On the track she has run 5:17. She was All StanCo in XC in 23 and 24 and in track in 24 and 25. Unfortunately she has had almost no competition in the WAC and is often injured. These two factors have left her standing just outside of greatness looking in. Could this be the season she is healthy all year? 

 

SOPHIE BENHAM 12th (Hughson)--Like Jymena Sophie has her own share of health issues, but she seems to have found an equilibrium between her training and her health, which has produced more consistently fast races. She was All StanCo XC in 22 and 24 and in track in 25. She has run 20:04 at Willow Hills and 19:30 at Woodward. On the track she produced times of 11:33 and 5:26. 

 

 SAMANTHA DE LA CRUZ 11th (Orestimba)--if there was a most improved award for last year it would likely go to Sam. she was All StanCo in both XC and track. At Willow Hills she ran 20:18. On the track she broke out with times of 11:44, 5:12, and 2:20. She Benham and Hilmar's Logsdon will battle in the TVL this season. 

 

 

MYLIE OLSON 11th (Turlock)--I am waiting for Mylie to reach her potential. Her coach has tagged her as a mostly a 400/800m runner in track and I think that is part of the issue. I think the 1600 could be her best event. In XC, due to several graduates from last year's team, they will need more from her to repeat as CCAL champs. At Woodward she ran 19:52 last season. On the track she ran 5:13 and 2:20 to make the All StanCo track team. 

 

ANAHI RUIZ VELASCO  9th (Beyer)--This is only the second time I have placed an incoming 9th grader on the girls' preseason top 10. She ran 5:28 as an 8th grader. As a TRM person I know the 5K distance will not be an insurmountable barrier for her. She'll be pushed in practices and races by team-mate Tyleah. All of this leads me to believe that she deserves this placement.

 

THE NEXT TEN (eleven)

BRADIE EVANS 12th (Oakdale)--she is very experienced and the Mustangs will need that this season. She was All StanCo in XC in 23 and in track in 24 and 25. Her best times are 11:52, 5:30, and 2:26.

TYLEAH BADEA 11th (Beyer)--2:14 and 12:14 at the end of track got her All StanCo honors and onto this list. I think she and Anahi will push each other. They may even be able to challenge Jymena for the WAC title.

LIZ CHRISTOPHER 12th (Turlock)--Liz may have the worst running form of anyone on this list BUT boy does she have grit. She ran 11:54 and 5:34 to make All StanCo last season in track.

NOELI GOMEZ-OROZCO 12th (Hughson)--2:23 and 5:26 gets her onto this list, but the Huskies have lofty goals and will need her to be up with Benham and DeLaCruz. She is capable of doing that.

MELANIE RODRIGUEZ 12th (Patterson)--Melanie was injured for most of the track season but still managed to run 11:11:55 and 5:32 to make All StanCo. She has run 19:36 at Woodward park. 

KYLIE FAST 11th (Oakdale)--after transferring to Oakdale last year she had to sit out about half of both seasons. She ran 19:54 at Woodward and 12:08 and 5:32 on the track. This year she'll have a full season of racing. 

NAYELI MATTISON 12th (Pitman)--in track Nayeli is a work horse often running 4x800, hurdles, 400, 4x400...and whatever is needed. Over the course of the season I think this drains her. But she still produced 2:24 and 5:39. Pitman will surely need her best if they have any chance of challenging Turlock in the CCAL. 

TAYLOR REAMS 11th (Oakdale)--12:04 in the 3200. Oakdale will need more from her this year.

AVA MEDRANO 11th (Beyer)-- 5:36 in the 1600m. The Patriots will need more consistency from her this year to win WAC.

EMMA LYNN HOGAN (Central Catholic)--5:36, 12:30 

GISELA HERNANDEZ 9th (Turlock)--in coming frosh who ran 5:42 in 8th grade. The Bulldogs will need her if they have any hopes of returning to State this year. 

 

TEAM RANKINGS

1. Turlock

2. Oakdale

3. Pitman

4. Hughson

5. Gregori/Beyer 

 

Don't agree? Did I miss someone? Tell me about it...leave a comment, send me a message, use it to fuel your spirit and prove me wrong...I love being surprised...show me what you got! 

 

 

 

 

2025 XC StanCo PreSeason Boys

Every year I attempt to pick an All StanCo team prior to the beginning of the season. And every year by the end of the season it comes to light that some of my selections were spot on and others definitely missed the mark. The biggest factor in my missed selections is injuries...hopefully it is obvious that I can not predict that. I also rely heavily on times from the previous track season (especially from the 3200m),  and some athletes just do better in track than XC (or vice versa). And finally I rely on my eyes and my gut. I have seen all of the runners many, many times and I have hunches about who is ready to breakout. Anyway here we go...you may notice I am supplying a lot of opinion here. I am not reporting times from a race. I am predicting and trying to explain my predictions. If you don't agree with what I've said, please go out, run fast and prove me wrong. Surprising results always make my smile. 

 

THE TOP TEN 

LARSON WEJMAR 12th (Turlock)--with the relocation out of the are of Oakdale's Parker Whitemyer, Larson is the top returning runner. His top XC times are 16:26 at Willow Hills and 15:54 at Woodward Park. On the track he ran 9:24, 4:27, and 2:03. He made the 2024 All StanCo XC team and the 

24 and 25 All StanCo track teams.

 

HAYES TERRY 12th (Beyer)--winning WAC and leading the Patriots to their third straight trip to State has to be the goal this season. Hayes leads a talented and experienced group. He ran 16:00 at Woodward Park. In track his best marks are 9:24, 4:27, and 2:02. He was All StanCo XC in 24 and Track in 24 and 25. 

 

HAVYN BARTELL 12th (Beyer)--Havyn may be the Beyer runner who is most often overlooked, but his times shout "You better take notice!" He is not a punchline or a trivia question answer. If Hayes blinks Havyn will take the WAC title. His best track times are 9:37, 4:27, and 2:02. He was All StanCo track in 25. 

 

ALEX MEJIA HIDALGO 11th (Beyer)--Alex earned All StanCo track last season in all three distance events  (9:57, 4:23, and 1:58). In XC he ran 16:22 at Woodward Park. Added to Hayes, Havyn and Yuushi Beyer may field their best team ever. That level of talent comes with some lofty goals.

 

QUINN BACA 11th (Oakdale)--the loss of Parker Whitemyer is huge at Oakdale. He was the leader and both Quinn and Westin McGhee will need to step up and compete like the veterans that they are or Oakdale will not be returning to State. Quinn ran 9:48 in the 3200 in track which gives him the edge on this list over a number of others. However his inconsistency is worrisome. He was All StanCo track in 25.  

WESTIN MCGHEE 11th (Oakdale)--see what I just put for Quinn. There is a lot of talent present in these two runners but they will need to produce so much more for the Mustangs this season. Westin ran 9:50 and 4:37 in track, 16:27 at Woodward, and made the All StanCo Track team in 25. 

 

ALESSANDRO PIMENTEL 12th (Hughson)--As track progressed Sandro seemed to find his competitive form. He is likely the favorite to win the TVL this season. He produced times of 9:50 and 4:30 last season and was All StanCo Track in 25.  

 

CESAR BOJORQUEZ 12th (Downey)--Consistency is what Cesar produced during track routinely running in the low 9:50's making the All StanCo Track team...BUT his running partner graduated and he will need a big improvement leap to fulfill the dream of qualifying for State.

 

MATT SANTANA 12th (Riverbank)--As with last season Matt's only real challenge in MLL competition will likely come from his own teammate Armando Garcia. But this is Matt's last chance to finish the Section races on a high note and qualify for State. In track he produced times of 9:51 and 4:35. He was All StanCo track in 24 and 25.  

 

IVAN RODRIGUEZ 11th (Modesto)--Okay this is a gut pick on my part. A few other mat have slightly faster times, but I think Ivan is going to explode this season. He made All StanCo in Track this past season with times of 9:56 and 4:32

 

THE NEXT TEN(eleven)

SEAN MUTURI 12th (Oakdale)--ditto to what I said above about Westin and Quinn. Best times9:51 and 4:40

GRANT FAHRNEY 12th (Gregori)-- All StanCo track in 25 with a 3200 time of 9:56

GABE AVALOS 11th (Turlock)--he was injured most of the 25 track season but prior to the injury he produced times of 9:57 and 4:38. 

YUUSHI KENNEDY 11th (Beyer)--All StanCo Track in 25 with 9:56, 4:39, and 2:05...he might be the best and most unassuming #4 runner in all StanCo

COLVIN HAMEL 12th (Pitman)--Colvin is an 800m dude but he is solid in XC too, He was All StanCo in Track in 25 with times of 4:34 and 1:58.

ARMANDO GARCIA 11th (Riverbank)--Armando's best event might be the 800 but if he is close to you at the end of a XC race he will out-kick you (just ask Matt Santana about that). He was All StanCo in 25 track with 4:36 and 1:57.

ELI SCOTT 11th (Pitman)--Eli really came on at the end of the 25 track season producing times of 4:36 and 2:01

SERGIO TORRES 12th (Ceres)--4:36 and 2:00 are his best track marks.

JOVANI FRANCO 12th (Modesto)--10:11 in the 3200m

GABE PENWELL 12th (Enochs)--10:14 in 3200m

AIDEN CAVANAUGH 9th (Oakdale)--I have never put an in-coming frosh boy on this list. Aiden might end up being the "Leader" on the Oakdale squad. His best time of 4:54 might not earn him a spot here exactly but my gut says he'll be in the mix at the end of the season. 

 

TEAM RANKINGS 

1. Beyer

2. Oakdale

3. Turlock

4. Hughson

5. Modesto/Pitman/Riverbank 

 

Don't agree? Did I miss someone? Tell me about it...leave a comment, send me a message, use it to fuel your spirit and prove me wrong...I love being surprised...show me what you got! 

 

 

Final ReCap of the 24-25 XC-Track Year

Each year I like to do a write up summarizing some to the analytics and high points (for me). I usually accomplish this post sometime soon after the State track meet, so I am late this year. But before I post anything relating to the 25-26 season I need to provide some final closure to the 24-25 year. The numbers are extraordinary, historic even.

 

2024 XC by the numbers

27--I attended 27 XC meets

27--teams raced at the Screamin Scott Showdown. This is only one meet in a season filled with many other meets, but it is named after me and thus holds a special place in my heart.

48--I awarded 48 Runner of the Week shirts.

50--Fifty StanCo runners qualified for and competed at the State XC meet.

2--The Turlock girls ran a combined 1:39.02 at Woodward Park which is the 2nd fastest StanCo team ever. 

3--The Oakdale boys placed 5th at the D3 State meet, but in doing so they ran 1:19:58 which makes them the 3rd fastest StanCo team on that course ever. 

5--The Turlock boys ran a combine 1:22:15 at State which is the 5th fastest StanCo team time ever.

4--Giselle Fernandez (Riverbank) placed 4th in the D4 State Meet race.

20--runners were voted by the coaches onto the All StanCo XC team and each received a photo collage of the team. 

1--Zoe Leach was the only runner who made the all time StanCo Legion Park list this year at #13 18:39

4--Four boys made the all time Willow Hills list (#11 Pat Kearney 16:18, #12 Francisco Hernandez 16:19, #14 Larson Wejmar 16:26, and Jacob Cavanaugh 16:26)

5--On the lady's side five made the all time Willow Hills list (#3 Natalie Arriaza 18:43, #6 Avery Carlson 19:03, #11 Zoe Leach 19:12, #13 Jymena Nguyen Marquez 19:19, and #16 Giselle Fernandez 19:23) 

6--Six boys made the all time Woodward Park list (#10 Whitemyer 15:36, #12 Teddy Santos 15:42, #13 Cavanaugh 15:45, #15 Kearney 15:49, #19 Wejmar 15:54, and #20 Hernandez 15:55)

7--Seven of the ladies made the all time StanCo Woodward Park 5K list (#1 Arriaza 17:43, #3 Fernandez 17:58, #5 Carlson 18:24, #12 Leach 18:38, #20 Williams 18:55, #21 Addison Wylie 18:57, and Nguyen Marquez 18:57)

  

 

2025 TRACK by the numbers

32--I attended 32 track meets

6--the six champions in the distance events at the Stanislaus County Championship won a StanCo sweat shirt. 

20--twenty different runners earned the purple StanCo shirt for breaking 2/2:20 in the 800 or 4:30/5:30 in the 1600

20--twenty runners broke 10/12 in the 3200 to earn their orange StanCo shirt.

42--forty-two runners met at least one of the standards to qualify for the All-StanCo Track team. They all had the opportunity to be given a collage of the team for free. Ismael Dominguez (Oakdale) made the team all 4 years

2--two StanCo track records were broken (Brooke Schumacker, Turlock, PV, 11'9" and Giselle Fernandez, Riverbank, 1600, 4:43.80)

5--Five girls (#2 Natalie Arriaza-10:35.24,  #4 Avery Carlson-10:41.36, #5 Giselle Fernandez-1045.13, #7 Elle Williams-10:52.35, #8 Zoe Leach-10:52.58) all break 11 minutes and crack the top 10 on the all time 3200m StanCo list.

4--Four boys made the all time 3200m list (#18 Parker Whitemyer-9:21.62, #19 Pat Kearney-9:21.93, #24 Hayes Terry-9:24.75, and #25 Larson Wejmar-9:24.86)

3--Three StanCo ladies broke 5 min in the 1600m and moved up the all time StanCo list (#1 Giselle Fernandez-4:43.80, #7 Natalie Arriaza-4:58.96, and #8 Avery Carlson-4:59.41)

2--#7 Tyleah Badea-2:14.56 and #8 Giselle Fernandez-2:14.96 both made the all time StanCo 800m list.

  

24-25 Year Overall

59--I went to 59 meets total

59,000--at an average of 1000 photos posted per meet a conservative estimate is that I posted 59,000 pics this year (and took at least twice that many).

5--Five athletes were awarded a "Record Breaker" shirt for making one of the all time lists in track or XC (Avery Carlson, Pat Kearney, Elle Williams, Brooke Schumacker, and Giselle Fernandez). 

6--with my own $500 and the donations of MANY supporters I was able to award six $500 scholarships this year (Maguire Lime, Susannah Hall, Maya Wolfe, Alejandra Gonzalez, Jeffery Mendonca, and Raquel Ochoa).

1--Zoe Leach (Downey) made the All StanCo XC team and the All StanCo Track team all 4 years of HS.

 

TIME, MONEY, and a little REALITY

708--59 meets at approximately 4 hours per (some meets I am there for over 8 hours) added to the photo processing time of about 8 hours for each meet...708 hours...in other words that is 29.5 days worth of time. This doesn't include the time of driving to the meets or to the schools to hand out/award shirts.

99--shirts handed out (48 ROW, 20 purple, 20 orange, 6 county champ, and 5 record breaker).

$1485--99 shirts averaging $15 each (the sweat shirts are about $30 each)

40--collages given...about $1.50 each; $60.

$3000--in StanCo scholarships given out ($500 of mine and all of the rest was donated)

 

PRICELESS--I love what I do. I do it mostly for my own personal reasons. It is so important to me that "StanCo Distance" is tattooed on my leg. BUT it can be costly and time consuming. Now that I have retired from teaching I will likely spend even more time at it. But I need help to continue awarding this number of scholarships. Every penny that is given to me goes to scholarships for StanCo and MerCo runners.

 

Do you love track and XC. Support the coach and the team. They are the real heroes here. Go to the meets. Cheer on the runners. Provide snacks for the athletes. Work the snack bar. 

 

Do you appreciate what I do...stop me, introduce yourself, say Hi. Tell me about your runner (no I don't know all of them). If you want to support my efforts even further, you can donate to the scholarship fund by scanning the code below. I thank you. What I do would be impossible without the support of the coaches, parents, and runners. 

 

As always I'll see you around the course and the track, I'll be the one in orange and black.

 

 

2025 All StanCo Track Team

 

Choosing the All StanCo Track Team is different than selecting the All StanCo XC Team. With the XC Team the coaches vote. With the Track Team it is all based on the runner reaching at least one of the set times (800 2:00/2:20; 1600 4:30/5:25; 3200 10:00/12:00). The number of runners reaching these marks seems to be exploding. In past years there were 10-13 runners meeting these times. This year there were 42. Some of the performances were record setting: Giselle Fernandez broke the 1600m record by 10 seconds. Five runners met the standards in all three events (Giselle Fernandez, Alex Mejia-Hidalgo, Francisco Hernandez, Patricio Kearney, and Ismael Dominguez) which demonstrates their strength and versatility.

 NATALIE ARRIAZA—11^TH (PATTERSON) 1600-4:58.96 (#7), 3200-10:35.24 (#2)

 GABRIEL AVALOS—11^TH (TURLOCK) 3200-9:57.60

 QUINN BACA—10^TH (OAKDALE) 3200-9:48.83 (2MI 9:52.16)

TYLEAH BADEA—10^TH (BEYER) 800-2:14.56 (#7), 1600-5:17.57 (1MI 5:19.42)

HAVYN BARTELL—11^TH (BEYER) 1600-4:29.49, 3200-9:37.75

SOPHIE BENHAM—11^TH (HUGHSON) 3200-11:33.89

CESAR BOJORQUEZ—11^TH (DOWNEY) 1600-4:29.50, 3200-9:52.97

AVERY CARLSON—11^TH (PITMAN) 1600-4:59.41(#8), 3200-10:41.36 (#4)

PAUL CASSAGIO—12^TH (DOWNEY) 3200-9:55.27

JACOB CAVANAUGH—12^TH (OAKDALE) 1600-4:28.07 (1MI 4:29.63)

ELIZABETH CHRISTOPHER—11^TH (TURLOCK) 3200-11:54.67

DIEGO CIBRIAN—12^TH (GRACE DAVIS) 3200-9:59.10

SAMANTHA DE LA CRUZ—10^TH (ORESTIMBA) 1600-5:12.92, 3200-11:44.24

ISMAEL DOMINGUEZ—12^TH (OAKDALE) 800-1:55.46 (#15), 1600-4:28.42, 3200-9:43.33

BRADIE EVANS—11^TH (OAKDALE) 3200-11:48.46 (2MI 11:52.59)

GRANT FAHRNEY—11^TH (GREGORI) 3200-9:56.11

GISELLE FERNANDEZ—11^TH (RIVERBANK) 800-2:14.96 (#8), 1600-4:43.80 (#1), 3200-10:45.13 (#5)

ARMANDO GARCIA--10^TH (RIVERBANK) 800-1:57.80

COLVIN HAMEL—11^TH (PITMAN) 800-1:58.12

FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ-–12^TH (PATTERSON) 800-1:59.21, 1600-4:26.05. 3200-9:30.86

PATRICIO KEARNEY—12^TH (ORESTIMBA) 800-1:59.83, 1600-4:23.96 (1MI 4:25.50), 3200-9:21.93 (#19)

YUUSHI KENNEDY—10^TH (BEYER) 3200-9:56.58

ZOE LEACH—12^TH (DOWNEY) 1600-5:05.73 (#19), 3200-10:52.58 (#8)

WESTIN MC GHEE—10^TH (OAKDALE) 3200-9:51.13 (2MI 9:54.68)

ALEJANDRO MEJIA-HIDALGO—10^TH (BEYER) 800-1:58.35, 1600-4:23.22, 3200-9:58.08 (2MI 10:01.57)

SEAN MUTURI—11^TH (OAKDALE) 3200-9:51.37

JYMENA NGUYEN-MARQUEZ—11^TH (GRACE DAVIS) 1600-5:17.01

MYLIE OLSON—10^TH (TURLOCK) 1600-5:13.13

LOGAN PETTY—12^th (TURLOCK) 800-1:58.76, 1600-4:20.11

ALESSANDRO PIMENTEL—11^TH (HUGHSON) 3200-9:48.6 (2MI 9:52.03)

IVAN RODRIGUEZ—10^TH (MODESTO) 3200-9:56.93

MELANIE RODRIGUEZ—11^TH (PATTERSON) 3200-11:55.12

MATT SANTANA—11^TH (RIVERBANK) 3200-9:51.92

 TEDDY SANTOS—12^TH (TURLOCK) 1600-4:22.67, 3200-9:57.45

HAYES TERRY—11^TH (BEYER) 1600-4:27.82, 3200-9:24.75 (#24)

 JESSICA VIGIL—12^TH (RIVERBANK) 3200-11:34.89

AUBREY WEBB—12^TH (TURLOCK) 1600-5:24.89, 3200-11:22.68

 LARSON WEJMAR—11^TH (TURLOCK) 1600-4:27.62, 3200-9:24.86 (#25)

PARKER WHITEMYER—11^TH (OAKDALE) 1600-4:25.9, 3200-9:21.62 (#18)

ELLISON WILLIAMS—9^TH (TURLOCK) 1600-5:10.16, 3200-10:52.35 (#7)

ADDISON WYLIE—9^TH (OAKDALE) 1600-5:22.25, 3200-11:22.11

GABRIEL ZAMUDIO MELGAR—12^TH (BEYER) 3200-9:52.62