Championship Week Preview

This coming week will be both busy and critical. It will be busy for me as I attempt to attend three league championship meets in four days. It will be critical in that league titles, all-league teams, and bragging rights will be decided.

VOL CHAMPIONSHIP  (Tuesday 10/27, 2pm, Legion Park, Modesto, 5K course)

The VOL is the first meet up this week. The participating StanCo schools are Oakdale and Central Catholic.

Individually in the VG race Iris Carrillo (Weston Ranch) is the top lady. Candice Lao (Sierra) is probably a distant runner up...that is hoe VOL 2 played out. For some reason most to the Weston Ranch team didn't attend VOL 1...so if Iris is there she should easily win. For Oakdale Kristen Aguilar is the top girl but will have to push to crack the top 7.

Aguilar leads the Oakdale girls

Team-wise Sierra easily won the first two meetings and should roll to the championship. Oakdale placed 4th in both meets and probably has that spot nailed down.

Individually for the boys Tomas Huerta of Weston Ranch looks like the favorite to me. The top Oakdale Mustang is Justin Crescenti. He will need to have a very good effort to stay in the top 10.

Crescenti leads the Mustangs

On the team front, Sierra won both the earlier meets. The race for second has been tight. Oakdale placed 2nd in the first meeting and 3rd in the latest race. Oakdale's younger runners will have to really run smart for them to hold down that second place spot.

WAC CHAMPIONSHIP (Wednesday 10/28, 2:30 pm, River Bluff Park, Ceres, 3 mi)
Unlike the rest of the WAC season that consists of dual meets, they will all race head to head on the challenging Ceres course. The participating StanCo teams are Ceres, Patterson, and Central Valley.

Individually for the girls the race may be between Daisy Perez of Livingston and Yvette Fregose of Los Banos.

Team-wise it appears to me that Los Banos probably has the edge.

Linares and Rojo race to the finish at a recent dual meet

For the VBs individually it should be Tomas Virgen (Patterson) running away with the title. Kosi Ogbuli (Patterson), Andy Rojo (Central Valley), and  Cristian Linares (Ceres) could battle for a distant second.

Patterson should cruise to the team title over Los Banos.

TVL CHAMPIONSHIP (Wednesday 10/28, 3 pm, Legion Park, Modesto, 5K course)

The TVL schools will meet for the third time on the same course this season. The participating StanCo schools are Hughson, Riverbank, Orestimba, Waterford, and Modesto Christian. Orestimba and Waterford are actually in the Southern League, but the competing schools of the SL league are invited to attend the TVL meets.

Bernal and Ruvalcaba

In The VG race the top individual is Kim Ruvalcaba (Riverbank). The only real question is just how fast is she capable of running. Coach Wood says that she is ready to break 19:00 on the 5K course.

The Hughson top 6

The team race is much closer.  Riverbank has the strong up front running of Ruvalcaba and Stephanie Bernal. Hughson has a very solid pack of Kinsey Langley, Emily Fife, Esmeralda Campos, and Abigayle Mitchell. RBK took the first meeting and Hughson took the second. Runners from the other schools could factor in by displacing RBK's 3,4,5 runners and Hughson's pack. This head to head race could be close but I think Hughson winns by about 5 to 7 points.

Yanez--photo credit Greg Beliera

Daniel Yanez (Hughson) won TVL 1 and 2. He should easily take this meet as well.  Ruben Paredez (Riverbank) is his closest competition. 

Team-wise it is the Bruins of RBK with the serious edge in that they won the first two meets. Hughson is the chase team. The huskies have been edging closer all season but I think that Riverbank will win by at least ten points.

CCC CHAMPIONSHIP (Wednesday 10/28, 10 am, Atwater HS, Atwater)

The CCC schools will meet for the third time this season. The StanCo schools are Pitman and Turlock.

Salsig, Varela, and Fredeen race Priscilla Bazan of Pitman

Individually for the ladies Ciara Colon (Merced) is the top runner (probably in both Merced and Stanislaus counties). Her closest competition will be from her team mates super-frosh Quinn Hagerman.  For Turlock Hope Salsig, Maria Varela, and Ade Fredeen have been a formidable trio.

The girls' team race is very tight. Atwater took the first meeting by 2 points over Turlock. The Bulldogs won the second meeting by 5. I believe that it all hinges on the fitness of Turlock's Cassie Derdivanis. She is the veteran member of the team. If she places as a strong #4 the Bulldogs could pull off the win again.

Individually for the boys it is Daniel Ambriz of Merced who is the favorite. Turlock's top racer is David Bosquez whose best finish was in CCC 1 where he placed 9th.

The boy's team race is between Atwater and Merced.  Merced took their first meeting and Atwater took the second. Turlock was fourth in both meets and I don't see that changing.

CCAA CHAMPIONSHIP (Thursday 10/29, San Andreas)
I can't tell you much here because the info is difficult for me to find. Sierra Ridge/Rite of Passage is hosting the meet. Turlock Christian and Big Valley Christian will be participating. Venture Academy is favored to win the boy's race and Millenium is favored to win the girl's. Sadie Roos of TC will via for the individual title.

MMC CHAMPIONSHIP (Friday 10/30, 2:30 pm, Legion Park, Modesto, 3.03mi course)

This is the 4th meeting of the seven MMC schools (Modesto, Downey, Davis, Beyer, Johansen, Enochs, and Gregori).
 

Cardenas

Individually for the boys Orlando Cardenas has won the previous three meetings.  He moves effortlessly through the pack as the race progresses and seems to glide in for the win. Behind him is the real race between Inteus Schiavo (Downey), Marc Alania (Modesto) and Santiago Ruiz (Gregori). Jeremy Hart (Gregori) seems almost healed for a track injury and could crack that threesome.

The team race is all Modesto's. They won the prior three races and a so deep that the second best team might be their 6-10 runners. The second place battle will be between Gregori and Downey, with Gregori having the edge.

Aguayo

For the Varsity Girls the individual title is up for grabs. Three different ladies won the previous three meets. Esmeralda Aguayo (Downey), Arielle Names (Downey) , and Savannah Mendoza (Modesto) will vie for that top spot. Names has the best closing speed. If she is close at the end, the race is hers.

Aguayo, Names, Mendoza, Torry Maravilla, Makaelyn Bickle

Modesto has a slight points lead in the team race over Downey. But whichever team wins Friday will take the League title. Modesto's top five have bested the Downey 5 most of the season. But Aguayo has gained confidence and Downey could go 1-2 which would be tough for MHS to over come. Also Modesto's margin for error is zero in that their #6 runner is way back in the pack. Downey has huge depth that can over come some poor racing.  I pick Downey to pull this one out.