CIF-SS Divisional Prelims Preview - Friday

The 2024 postseason for the Southern Section is officially here! As we preview each divisional prelim heat, the top 16 squads from each division will reserve their spot at next weekend’s CIF-SS Finals. With Mt. San Antonio College being the host site once again, this year will feature a new course, elongated to three miles with the last 350 meters finishing on the track and in the stadium.

Temperatures will drop this weekend, predicted to be in the mid to high-50s for all races and paving the way for ideal racing conditions.

Divisions 1 and 5 compete on Friday morning. The top four squads from each race will automatically advance while all individuals not on qualifying squads must finish in the top six to move on.

Division 5 Girls

Heat One (8:30 am)
Defending divisional champs, St. Margaret's is favored to capture their fourth title over the past six seasons. This will be their 11th straight appearance into next week’s finals as they have been atop the charts every week this season. A tight race should ensue between Thacher and Sacred Heart of Jesus, as Thacher seeks their second straight state meet appearance after placing second in 2023. With only one automatic spot remaining, Hawthorne Math and Science Academy looks to hold off Desert Christian (Lancaster).

Heat Two (8:44 am)
Viewpoint has developed into one of the top small schools programs in the section and lines up as the top seed here. They have been ranked second overall the entire season. Sage Hill comes in ranked seventh overall and looks to kick the curse after just missing a state meet berth the last three seasons. St. Lucy’s placed third in 2023 but will need a late rush to return to the state meet next week. Linfield Christian looks to advance for the sixth straight season, one that included a divisional title in 2021.

Heat Three (8:58 am)
Unranked until mid-October, Cate has come on strong as enters as the top seed and third overall. After advancing to the state meet from 2019-22, they look to book a trip back to Fresno here in 2024. Samueli Academy (Santa Ana) punched their ticket to the state meet last year and is projected to return, but first, they need to secure a spot for next weekend. The two most tradition-rich programs in this division over the past 25 years are Chadwick and Flintridge Prep. Both line up to advance once again but an Amelia Sarkisian-led Brentwood squad looks to upset the rankings.

Amelia Sarkisian (Brentwood, 10/25/2024)

Heat Four (9:12 am)
Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello) advanced for the first time in 2023 but projects to advance to the state meet in 2024.  With a state meet appearance from a year ago, Pacifica Christian (Orange County) will push the former as not much separates these two squads, talent-wise. Whittier Christian has come on well here over the past month while Pasadena Poly moved up to be ranked 13th overall in the division.

 

Division 5 Boys

Heat One (9:32 am)
Two-time defending divisional champions, Viewpoint began the season perched at the top and reclaimed that ranking midway through the season. The Patriots are paced up front by Olly O’Connor, who has developed into one of the best in the state. Xavier Prep (Palm Desert) will go toe-to-toe with Pacifica Christian (Orange County) as both look to snag a state meet qualifying spot next weekend. That last spot will come down to either Milken Academy (Los Angeles), Campbell Hall, or Mary Star of the Sea.

Olly O'Connor (Viewpoint, 10/11/2024)

Heat Two (9:44 am)
After catapulting to a state meet berth in 2023, Ontario Christian has been one of the top squads in the division and looks to cruise into next week’s final. Desert Christian (Lancaster) has steadily moved up here over the past month and looks to advance for the first time since 2019. Both Wildwood and Brentwood are projected to qualify for the third year in a row, while St. Genevieve and Cate are looking to leapfrog their way in for a spot in the finals.

Heat Three (9:56 am)
Unranked until a month ago, Thacher has emerged into a legitimate squad that looks to advance to the state meet for the first time since 2019. Regarding the state meet, Hawthorne Math and Science is projected to advance for the third year in a row and will push Thacher. While Webb is looking to find a way back, Windward is expected to qualify for the sixth year in a row. Those two will need to watch out for Heritage Christian (Northridge), a squad seeking their first finals berth.

Heat Four (10:08 am)
Two of the most successful programs in the division over the past 20-plus seasons will lock up as St. Margaret's and Flintridge Prep are the top two seeds. Combined, they own seven divisional titles since 2010 while Flintridge Prep has advanced every year, going back to the 1990s. Not much separates Samueli Academy (Santa Ana) and Providence with both slated to advance. Two-time defending individual champion, Eyan Turk will look to lead his Woodcrest Christian squad into one of the four automatic spots as well.

Eyan Turk (Woodcrest Christian, 9/30/2023)

 

Division 1 Girls

Heat One (10:20 am)
Trabuco Hills emerged as the top-ranked squad over this past month after solid performances at the ASICS Clovis Invitational and a victory at the Orange County Championships. The Mustangs now look to cruise into the finals with the mindset of capturing their first CIF title in school history. ML King also looks to comfortably advance, while Vista Murrieta eyes their 16th straight appearance in the Division 1 final. With both advancing in 2023, the real battle for the last qualifying spot falls onto Temecula Valley and Los Alamitos. Only one will advance in 2024 according to the rankings.

Heat Two (10:34 am)
Our defending California State and CIF-SS champs, Santiago will easily advance out of this heat to the finals for the eighth straight year. Not much separates the Sharks and Trabuco Hills (in Heat One) but that was also the case in 2024 when Santiago prevailed on the postseason stage. San Clemente comes in favored to also advance along with Long Beach Poly. That fourth spot is up for grabs with Liberty (Winchester) favored just ahead of Santa Monica. The Bison are only in their second senior class and one of the new schools in the Southern Section. Santa Monica is looking to advance for the third straight season.

Heat Three (10:48 am)
The Falcons of Crescenta Valley are seeking their first back-to-back state meet appearances since the 2007-08 seasons. Coming in as the top seed, they narrowly held off Arcadia in a 32-33 nailbiter at the Pacific League finals. Great Oak toes the line as the second seed while projecting to advance to their 16th straight championship final. The Wolfpack have also qualified for the state meet in all of those seasons! Long Beach Wilson and an improved Warren squad look to secure those last two automatic spots with Valencia (Placentia) and Riverside Poly eyeing to spring themselves into next week’s festivities.

Heat Four (11:02 am)
Arcadia shot to the top of the headlines (and rankings) after their stellar performance at last month’s Mt. SAC Invite. Unranked before then, the Apaches, seeking their first state meet berth since 2017, catapulted just ahead of Mira Costa. While projected to advance, Mira Costa looks to get back to the state meet for the 14th time in the past 17 seasons. Redondo Union and Beckman are also slated to advance with Huntington Beach looking to pull the upset and earn a bid.

 

Division 1 Boys

Heat One (11:22 am)
The top-seeded men from Beckman escalated into the national rankings after their drop-the-mic performance at the ASICS Clovis Invitational last month. The Patriots bolstered their credentials on this same Mt. SAC course with a nice team win in the Division 1-2 Team Sweepstakes race at the Mt SAC Invitational. They will be able to cruise to their third straight finals appearance should they stay healthy. Looking to keep pace and advance back to the finals for a sixth straight season is none other than two-time defending divisional champs, San Clemente. Despite graduating most of their state championship squad from 2023, they reloaded quickly. Millikan projects to also advance for the third year in a row while a tight battle between Aliso Niguel and Downey will ensue for that last automatic spot.

Heat Two (11:34 am)
Poised to advance to the state meet for a fourth year in a row, Mira Costa enters as the top seed. Ranked atop the division earlier in the year, the Mustangs will cruise through to their showdown with Beckman. Trabuco Hills has steadily improved over the past month and is seeded second while Riverside Poly has put together their best squad in school history. Roosevelt checks in projected to advance back to the finals for the first time since 2021, but Camarillo and Rancho Cucamonga look to upset the polls.

Heat Three (11:46 am)
Crescenta Valley has advanced to the state meet in each of the past six seasons and comes in hot off a dominating league championship performance. The Falcons moved up to third in the overall rankings this past week. ML King is looking to advance back to the state meet for the second year and one would expect that CV and MLK will monopolize the front pack. Loyola is the third seed here and looking for a strong postseason push after their 15-year state meet appearances streak was snapped in 2023. That last spot is up for grabs with Santa Monica coming in just after capturing the Ocean League title.

Heat Four (11:58 am)
Redondo Union has put together one of its best squads in school history while placing second in the Bay League to one of the best in California in Mira Costa. Slated to advance for their 16th consecutive season, Great Oak may get a key scorer back this week and will be right on the heels of Redondo. Santiago (Corona) seeks a fourth-straight berth while Valley View impressed at the Mt. SAC Invite last month and seeks a CIF Finals berth for the first time since 2019.