CIF Southern Section boys’ and girls’ cross country watch list released

It wasn’t a very long season due to COVID-19, but cross country did take place earlier this year, representing what should have taken place in 2020. Most schools had to stay within their own league when it came to competition, and some may only have gotten three races in, at most, but teams did find a way to compete.

Now, more than ever, local cross country programs are eager to see where they sit in the standings as their fall season gets underway. Top programs like Great Oak and Vista Murrieta, out of the Southwestern League, look to be contenders again this year in the Division One polls. Linfield Christian took the No. 1 spot in Division Five, but only for the girls’ team.

Of course, as the new school year continues to face COVID-19 obstacles, many local teams are going to have to embrace the challenges ahead with playing through the unknown circumstances surrounding the current pandemic. With the recent release of the 2021-2022 CIF Southern Section watch list, as selected by the CIF Southern Section council, as well as Prep-Cal Track, local teams can’t wait to hit the ground running.

Since the three aforementioned schools were the only programs mentioned in the top 10 of their division, as of Sept. 2, this issue will cover all the CIF-SS schools listed on the watch list.

BOYS RANKINGS

DIVISION 1

1. Newbury Park

2t. Great Oak

2t. Loyola

4. Roosevelt
5. San Clemente
6. Crescenta Valley
7. Vista Murrieta
8. Redondo Union
9. Rancho Cucamonga
10. Long Beach Poly

DIVISION 2

1. El Toro
2. Dana Hills
3. Hart
4. Ayala
5. Mira Costa
6. Royal
7. Thousand Oaks
8. Canyon/Ana.
9. Claremont
10. Foothill

DIVISION 3

1. West Torrance
2. Palos Verdes
3. Capistrano Valley
4. St. John Bosco
5. San Marcos
6. Agoura
7. Mission Viejo
8. Servite
9. Buena
10. Torrance

DIVISION 4

1. Orange Lutheran
2. Laguna Beach
3. JSerra
4. Cathedral
5. Oaks Christian
6. Harvard/Westlake
7. Big Bear
8. Foothill Tech
9. South Pasadena
10. Wilson/HH

DIVISION 5

1. St. Margaret’s
2. Thacher
3. Chadwick
4. Windward
5. Viewpoint
6. Flintridge Prep
7. Pacifica Christian/SM
8. Crossroads
9. Webb
10. Desert Christian

GIRLS RANKINGS

DIVISION 1

1. Newbury Park
2. Great Oak
3. Saugus
4. Beckman
5. Vista Murrieta
6. Redondo Union
7. Yucaipa
8. Huntington Beach
9. Roosevelt
10. Chino Hills

DIVISION 2

1. Mira Costa
2. Canyon/Ana.
3. Claremont
4. Westlake
5. West Ranch
6. Northwood
7. Ayala
8. Tesoro
9. Dana Hills
10. 1000 Oaks/El Toro

DIVISION 3

1. Simi Valley
2. Corona del Mar
3. Brea-Olinda
4. Esperanza
5. Torrance
6. Palos Verdes
7. North Torrance
8. South Torrance
9. Bonita
10. Oak Park

DIVISION 4

1. JSerra
2. Oaks Christian
3. La Cañada
4. Laguna Beach
5. Orange Lutheran
6. Harvard-Westlake
7. Laguna Hills
8. South Pasadena
9. St. Lucy’s
10. Mayfield

DIVISION 5

1. Linfield Christian
2. Cate
3. St. Margaret’s
4. Sierra Canyon
5. Flintridge Prep
6. Chadwick
7. Xavier College Prep
8. Ramona Convent
9. Cerritos Valley Christian
10. Viewpoint

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.