CIF-San Diego Section Championships Preview

All five returning girls divisional team champions are attempting to add to their impressive streaks, with several top boys programs looking to add more titles to their program legacies Saturday at the CIF-San Diego Section Championships at Balboa Park’s Morley Field.

Cathedral Catholic boasts the longest championship run of any school competing Saturday on the 2.96-mile course, seeking a fifth consecutive Division 3 girls title in the 10:40 a.m. final.

The Dons won the 2019 championship, then returned following the COVID-19 pandemic to triumph the past three years as well.

Francis Parker is pursuing a fourth straight Division 5 girls crown in the 11:45 a.m. final.

Del Norte (Division 1), Scripps Ranch (Division 2) and La Jolla (Division 4) are all attempting to win for the third year in a row in their respective championship races.

Del Norte opens the day in the Division 1 girls final at 8:30 a.m., Scripps Ranch runs at 9:05 a.m. in the Division 2 girls championship, with La Jolla scheduled to compete at 12:50 p.m. in the Division 4 girls race.

Sage Creek is the only boys program in any division trying to extend a championship streak, looking to win a fourth consecutive title overall, including a third straight in Division 3 in the 12:20 p.m. final. The Bobcats won the Division 4 crown in 2021.

Westview (Division 1), Scripps Ranch (Division 2), Classical Academy (Division 4) and Francis Parker (Division 5) all have the potential to win back-to-back boys titles.

Westview competes at 9:40 a.m., Scripps Ranch races at 10:10 a.m., Classical Academy runs at 11:15 a.m. and Francis Parker closes out the championship schedule at 1:25 p.m.

Jaelyn Williams of Chula Vista Eastlake looks to defend her Division 1 crown after prevailing last season in 17:06.4.

Jaelyn Williams (Eastlake, 9/16/2023)

Canyon Crest Academy’s Katya Dunayevich has been one of the state’s most improved athletes this season and is primed to elevate from a fourth-place finish last year.

Patrick Henry’s Hannah Aguirre and Rancho Bernardo’s Riley Biddle are also capable of placing in the top five, with Emily Russo and Eliza Hong attempting to lead Del Norte to another team title. Westview's Kaitlyn Arciaga took third in last year's final, but the senior standout has been sidelined since competing Oct. 26 at the 76th Mt. SAC Invitational in Walnut.

The section will send three teams to the Nov. 30 state meet in Fresno from each of the Division 1, 2, 4 and 5 championship races Saturday, with Division 3 receiving four bids to the girls state final at Woodward Park.

Olivia Campos of Mt. Carmel captured the Division 2 crown last year in 18:51.4.

Olivia Campos (Mt Carmel, 10/25/2024)

Ellie Cannon and Ally Van Duren will try to lead Scripps Ranch to another team title, with Steele Canyon’s Dania Lopez and Vista’s Olivia Rilea looking to move into the top three this season.

Although Division 3 is the only group that doesn’t feature a returning girls champion following the graduation of La Costa Canyon’s Gioana Lopizzo, the final still remains one of the deepest in the section.

Jocelyn Gibson of Cathedral Catholic, making her debut in a section championship meet as a senior, has emerged as one of the top contenders on one of the deepest rosters in the state.

Santana’s Harper Diaz, Sage Creek’s Gabriella Peters, La Costa Canyon’s Hannah Gordon, Point Loma’s Isabella Ramos and Cathedral Catholic’s Lindsay Zimmer are also in contention. Michela Miracco of Sage Creek has the potential to showcase significant improvement after finishing 44th in the division final last year.

Chiara Dailey led a La Jolla sweep of the top four spots in last year’s Division 4 final, securing back-to-back individual titles by producing the fastest female performance of the meet at 16:57.7.

Chiara Dailey (La Jolla, 10/25/2024)

Dailey is an overwhelming favorite to three-peat, with teammate Hannah Aalaei looking to provide valuable support for the Vikings in their title quest.

Coastal Academy freshman Lindsey Billotte could have a big impact in her championship debut, with Valley Center’s Emily Giron, Classical Academy’s Bella Sword, Del Lago Academy’s Taryn Warren and La Jolla’s Navah Lipsky all capable of placing in the top three.

The Division 5 girls showdown involving reigning champion Ari Llorens of Francis Parker and 2022 winner Ayanna Hickey of The Bishop’s School is one of the most anticipated matchups of the meet.

Francis Parker’s Olivia Teates and Isla Duncan also return, along with Christian’s Faith Patterson, from last year's final.

The Division 1 boys championship not only includes Del Norte’s Luke Jin, who took third last season, but is also expected to highlight the return of another Nighthawks’ standout in Cameron Yarbrough, who earned eighth in the 2022 final, but missed all of last season.

Rancho Bernardo’s Camden Luecht, Poway’s Cooper Castleberry and Canyon Crest Academy’s Luca Caruso are also strong championship contenders.

Camden Luecht (Rancho Bernardo, 9/21/2024)

The top three boys divisions in the section all receive three qualifying spots to the state meet, with Division 4 only earning two berths and Division 5 securing four entries to compete Nov. 30 in Fresno.

Jaxon Northcutt was the top freshman in the section last year, securing second in the Division 2 boys final, but the Mt. Carmel competitor is pursuing the title this season, with several experienced challengers also expected to return in Saturday’s final.

Jaxon Northcutt (Mt Carmel, 9/21/2024)

Nathan Bamford is trying to lead Scripps Ranch to another team championship, in addition to elevating from a third-place performance last year, with Steele Canyon’s Micah Senn and Vista’s Jarett Cruz also in contention.

Sage Creek’s Josiah Bowman was runner-up in the Division 3 boys final last year and has the potential to secure the crown, along with teammate Max Marchi. Cathedral Catholic also boasts a prominent pairing in the division final with Nathan Wilber and Teddy Lang.

Following one of the most thrilling Division 4 championship races in section history last season, with Classical Academy, La Jolla and Del Lago Academy all separated by six points, several of the top competitors are scheduled to return.

La Jolla’s Keegan Durfee placed second last year, but his biggest challenger in the championship pursuit could be Miles Pike from Canyon Hills, who secured sixth last season.

Miles Pike (Canyon Hills, 10/25/2024)

Del Lago Academy’s Valentino Aguirre, Classical Academy’s Evers Clemeshaw and Crawford’s Leo Lorenzano are all expected to return after finishing in the top five in last year’s final.

Santa Fe Christian’s Evan Smith is another runner-up from last season looking to capture the championship in the Division 5 boys final.

Lyon Craig of Health Sciences High and Middle College, as well as Maxwell Gibbons from High Tech High in San Marcos both have the potential to challenge for the title, along with High Tech High Mesa's Kai Rottler, Francis Parker’s Austen Boyd and Calvin Christian’s Collin Gordon.

By Erik Boal