By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 41st ASICS Clovis Invitational is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12 at Woodward Park in Fresno, Calif.

Here are 10 storylines to follow at the one of the most prestigious meets in the country:

Recent history clashes with all-time legacy

By virtue of Newbury Park’s triumph over Great Oak in the Doug Speck sweepstakes race Sept. 21 at the 39th Woodbridge Classic, combined with the Wolfpack rebounding to prevail Saturday against two-time Nike Cross Nationals winner Loudoun Valley VA in the Nike Race of Champions at the Great American Cross Country Festival in North Carolina, the showdown at 9:30 a.m. PDT in the boys championship race is a legitimate clash of the top two boys teams in the country.

Great Oak has won the past five boys championship races at Clovis, in addition to five consecutive Division 1 state titles at Woodward Park. That equates to 10 straight victories for the Wolfpack boys on the 5-kilometer Woodward Park layout, with Great Oak’s last setback coming with a 12th-place finish at the 2013 state final.

During that span, Great Oak has set the all-time course record of 76 minutes, 10 seconds at the 2015 state final, as well as the Clovis Invitational mark of 76:50 set last year, when the Wolfpack prevailed by a 41-142 margin over Newbury Park.

WOODWARD PARK ALL-TIME TEAM LISTS

Great Oak boasts three of the top four all-time performances at Woodward Park, with Newbury Park setting its program record last season by running 77:51 to capture the Division 2 state championship.

No boys or girls program in meet history has won six consecutive championship races. The last time Great Oak lost in the boys championship race was 2009, placing 13th overall, then the Wolfpack didn’t attend the meet from 2010-13, before returning to produce its dominant run beginning in 2014.

Newbury Park produced a 36-69 victory over Great Oak at Woodbridge, running an all-time record 71:10 on the 3-mile course at SilverLakes Sports Complex in Norco, Calif., smashing the mark of 72:36 run last season by the Wolfpack.

Great Oak ran a 5-kilometer course record 76:29 at WakeMed Park to eclipse the standard of 77:00 established in 2012 by Christian Brothers Academy NJ.

The key for Great Oak remains the compression among its scoring runners. After a 20-second spread at Woodbridge, the Wolfpack achieved a 14-second gap at Great American.

Newbury Park had a 57-second spread at Woodbridge, in large part due to the fastest 3-mile high school performance in history of 13:39.7 by Nico Young, but the Panthers also had four scorers in front of Great Oak’s second finisher, along with all five scorers in front of the Wolfpack’s fifth.

Divisional dominance to be decided

Although the main storyline in the girls championship race at 8:55 a.m. PDT is Great Oak’s quest for a sixth straight Clovis title and seventh overall, the current run of dominance for the Wolfpack is even greater than their male counterparts.

Great Oak hasn’t lost a girls race at Woodward Park since the 2011 state final, when the Wolfpack finished seventh in the Division 1 championship race. That makes 12 consecutive victories on the 5-kilometer Woodward Park layout for Great Oak, which didn’t compete at the Clovis Invitational from 2010-13.

Not only will that streak be tested Saturday, but also Division 1 bragging rights, as Great Oak looks to follow its victory Saturday in the Nike Race of Champions at Great American when it squares off with Buchanan on the Bears’ home course.

Buchanan prevailed against Southlake Carroll TX on a sixth-runner tiebreaker Sept. 21 in the Bob Day girls sweepstakes race at the Woodbridge Classic, with Great Oak finishing third, six points behind both teams.

Great Oak also won the 2009 girls championship race, giving the Wolfpack six overall Clovis titles without a loss under coach Doug Soles, including last year’s 64-point performance, with Buchanan finishing fourth.

Buchanan has a pair of girls championships at Clovis in the past 25 years, capturing titles in 1994 and 2012. Simi Valley was the last California girls team to win a championship race at Clovis in 2013, before Great Oak’s return to the meet in 2014.

Another intriguing divisional storyline in the championship race is also a Woodbridge rematch involving St. Francis Sacramento and Newbury Park, both leading contenders for the Division 2 state title.

St. Francis Sacramento placed fourth in the Bob Day sweepstakes race at Woodbridge with 161 points, followed by Newbury Park with 167 points. But Newbury Park is expected to add senior Hailey Golmon, who was forced to sit out 30 days following her transfer from Westlake High, to its lineup to join Fiona Hawkins, Archana Mohandas, Sam McDonnell, Gretchen Slattum and Ailish Hawkins.

St. Francis will rely on Cate Joaquin, Isabella Fauria and Tatiana Cornejo, all of whom placed in the top 10 at Woodbridge, with the Troubadours hoping for improved efforts from the back half of their lineup.

St. Francis finished runner-up to Great Oak in last year’s championship race, with Newbury Park placing 17th.

Palos Verdes and Brea-Olinda, two of the top teams in Division 3, are also scheduled to compete in the championship race, as well as 2016 and 2017 Division 4 state champion Foothill Technology and division counterpart Laguna Beach.

A terrific trio in search of titanic records

One of the most elite course records in prep cross country history remains the 14:24 performance produced in 2007 by German Fernandez of Riverbank High in the Division 4 state final on the 5-kilometer Woodward Park layout. Fernandez ran 4:27 for the first mile, came through the 2-mile mark at 9:12 and reached the 3-mile split at 13:55, before covering the final 172 meters in 29 seconds.

Only a pair of athletes, Arcadia graduates Ammar Moussa and Phillip Rocha, have even been with 20 seconds of the record since. In addition, only three other individuals, San Diego’s Marc Davis, Camarillo’s Eric Reynolds and Agoura’s Bryan Dameworth have even run under 14:40, and they all competed in the 1980s.

But even if Newbury Park’s Nico Young, Jesuit’s Matt Strangio and reigning Arizona Division 1 state champion Leo Daschbach can’t approach the exceptional effort delivered by Fernandez, there are still several significant marks that will be targeted Saturday.

Young, who won the Division 2 state title last year in 14:59.2, will first look to topple the Southern Section record of 14:39 first established in 1982 by Reynolds and equaled in 1989 by Dameworth.

Davis boasts the No. 2 time in course history, clocking 14:38 in 1986.

Daschbach, who ran the second-fastest 5-kilometer race in prep history with his 14:14.26 effort Sept. 27 to prevail in the sweepstakes race at the Desert Twilight Festival in Arizona, hopes to become the fastest runner from his state in meet history.

Tom Ansberry of Santa Rita High in Tucson clocked 14:49 in 1980 and only three Arizona athletes in history have ever run under 15 minutes at Woodward Park.

In addition to holding the all-time course record, Fernandez is also the fastest athlete in Sac-Joaquin Section history, which makes the challenge even more significant for Strangio.

But after running 15:04.5 to win the Division 1 state title last year, Strangio is not only looking to run under 15 minutes at Woodward Park for the first time, but also looking to break the program record of 14:54 held since 1985 by Mark Mastalir.

There have only been eight total sub-15 performances in meet history, including the 2016 record of 14:49.9 by Armijo graduate Luis Grijalva. The only time three athletes ran under 15 minutes in the same race in meet history was in 2009.

Liam Anderson of Redwood Larkspur, who went on to win Nike Cross Nationals last year, prevailed in last season’s championship race in 14:57.8.

In addition to Young, Strangio and Daschbach, Newbury Park senior Jace Aschbrenner, La Costa Canyon senior Caleb Niednagel, Clovis North senior Isaiah Galindo, JSerra senior Anthony Grover, Dublin senior Christopher Middleton-Pearson, Dana Hills senior Carrick Denker, Bakersfield Ridgeview senior Alex Cuevas, Crescenta Valley senior Dylan Wilbur and any member of Great Oak’s lineup have the potential to place in the top 10.

Ready to join Reedy

Although Buchanan senior Corie Smith has won a Division 1 state title in her cross country career, there are two additional goals she is motivated to achieve Saturday at Woodward Park.

Smith is looking to join Hagen Reedy and become only the second Buchanan athlete to run under 17 minutes on the 5-kilometer layout, in addition to winning the Clovis championship race.

Smith ran 17:05.3 in 2017 at Clovis, her fastest time on the Bears’ home course. She placed second as a sophomore and third last season in the championship race.

Reedy is not only the Central Section record holder at 16:59, but also the last Buchanan female athlete to win at Clovis in 2012.

Only nine female athletes have run under 17 minutes at Woodward Park, including four in meet history. Amber Trotter of Ukiah has held the meet record of 16:55 since 2001.

Smith won the Bob Day girls sweepstakes race at the Woodbridge Classic for the second time in her career Sept. 21 by clocking 16:04.8 on the 3-mile course at the SilverLakes Sports Complex.

Smith has also set the 2-mile course record at Woodward Park with her 10:09.2 effort Aug. 24.

There are several athletes not only looking to challenge Smith, but also pursue a sub-17 effort in the championship race, including the top two finishers from last season, Great Oak senior Tori Gaitan and Del Oro sophomore Riley Chamberlain.

Canyon Crest Academy senior Carlie Dorostkar, who ran the fastest reported 3-mile time in the country this season at 15:57.5 when she set the meet record Sept. 28 at the Dana Hills Invitational, is not only a strong challenger to Smith at Clovis, but also a contender for the Division 1 state championship.

Dorostkar has a legitimate opportunity to challenge the all-time San Diego Section mark of 17:06 produced in 2009 by Rancho Bernardo’s Molly Grabill.

St. Helena junior Harper McClain, who finished fourth at Woodbridge, is also racing at Woodward Park for the first time and should also be among the leaders. Vista Del Lago sophomore Alexandra Klos, who prevailed Sept. 28 against Chamberlain at the Capital Cross Challenge, could also be in contention in her Clovis debut.

Small schools seek big opportunities

Led by McClain, the favorite to capture the Division 5 girls state title, there are several athletes and teams representing Divisions 4 and 5 looking to measure themselves in the championship races in one of the few opportunities during the regular season for them to challenge programs in the top three divisions.

In the boys championship race, last year’s Division 4 state winner Anthony Grover will look to improve upon his 15:17.8 from Clovis last season. Marin Catholic senior Lyle Rumon, third in last year’s Division 4 state final, is also scheduled to race, along with Sir Francis Drake senior Amir Barkan, 11th last season in Division 4.

Foothill Technology, fifth in Division 4 last year, is also scheduled to compete in the boys championship race, led by junior Oliver Pick.

In addition to McClain and Chamberlain, last season’s Division 3 state winner, in the girls championship race, Division 4 programs Foothill Technology and Laguna Beach are scheduled to compete.

Mayfield, led by reigning Division 4 state champion Audrey Suarez, is entered in the girls small school race. Suarez won the small school race in 2017 and didn’t compete at Clovis last season.

First of many for freshman standouts

Several talented freshmen will be on display in the girls championship race in their anticipated 5-kilometer debuts at Woodward Park and have a tough act to follow after Riley Chamberlain of Del Oro ran the fastest time by a ninth-grader in meet history last season at 17:12.7.

Lauren Soobrian of Los Altos has placed in the top three in all four of her competitions thus far and has the potential to join a group of six female freshman athletes in meet history.

Great Oak will rely on freshmen Melinda Dang, Aishling Fabian and Kelli Gaffney in an effort to extend its streak to six straight championship victories.

Buchanan also boasts several talented ninth-graders, including Sydney Sundgren and Grace Hutchison, who could be instrumental in the Bears’ pursuit of its first Clovis team title since 2012.

Clovis East’s Erika Nyberg, who won the Division 1 freshman race Sept. 28 at the Dana Hills Invitational, is also entered in the championship race, along with Quartz Hill ninth-grader Brianne Smith.

Although they are not entered in the championship race, Emma Ruvalcaba of Clovis and Katherine Hegblom of Homestead are expected to square off in the extra large school race, with Liesel Blau of St. Margaret’s entered in the small school race and Taylor Jones of Arroyo Grande in the large school race.

In the boys championship race, freshman Lex Young is scheduled to compete for Newbury Park, along with Ryan Mitchell of Davis Senior. Colin Sahlman of Newbury Park was the only freshman to break 16 minutes at Woodward Park last season, clocking 15:52.8 at the Division 2 state final.

Miguel Villar of Madera South ran the fastest time by a freshman in meet history at 15:36 in 2013.

Battles for midseason bragging rights

After the significant showdown involving Great Oak and Newbury Park, there are several additional storylines in the boys championship race, including a showcase of Division 3 programs Maria Carrillo, Agoura and Royal.

Clovis North faces Tri-River Athletic Conference rivals Buchanan and Clovis West, in addition to matching up against Dublin, Jesuit, Torrey Pines, Dana Hills and West Torrance in a showdown that could indicate a great deal in determining the top team in California outside of Newbury Park and Great Oak.

Bellarmine Prep, the other team in that discussion, is competing Saturday at the Crystal Springs Invitational.

Pacific League powers Burbank and Crescenta Valley will also match up in Clovis, along with Golden League giants Highland and Quartz Hill.

Dana Hills, El Toro, San Clemente and Capistrano Valley are also scheduled to square off in a preview of the sweepstakes race Oct. 19 at the Orange County Championships.

Starting off strong

Although the 7:15 a.m. PDT start time might be a struggle for some athletes, the girls medium school competition is scheduled to showcase some impressive talent in the first of 16 races on the schedule.

Miramonte junior Audrey Allen, Yorba Linda junior Siena Palicke, Oakland Skyline senior Eleanor Wikstrom, Orange Lutheran junior Sophia Gutierrez, Marin Catholic junior Samantha Wallenstrom, Las Lomas sophomore Emma Yamamoto and Corona del Mar junior Annabelle Boudreau are among the leading entries.

Wikstrom is the top returning athlete from last year’s race, placing third in 18:28.3, with Boudreau finishing fourth in 18:31 and Palicke taking fifth in 18:41.6.

In the boys medium school race at 8:05 a.m. PDT, Merced senior Cole McKain is the top returning athlete, placing fourth last season in 16:10.5.

Oak Park senior Sebastian Sawyer, Las Lomas senior Charlie Kisylia, South Pasadena senior Sam Clark and San Luis Obispo senior Duncan Speirs and Placer senior Devin Muzzy are among the top entries.

Northern exposure

Two of the top female athletes in the North Coast Section are scheduled to square off in the extra large school race with Amador Valley junior Hope Bergmark and Monte Vista senior Kelli Wilson.

In the girls championship race, reigning Central Coast Section Division 1 champion Kaimei Gescuk of Carlmont is scheduled to compete, along with St. Francis Mountain View junior Isabelle Cairns.

Castilleja senior Tevah Gevelber, the defending Central Coast Section Division 5 champion, is expected to participate in the girls small school race, along with South Tahoe senior Carissa Buchholz and Tahoe-Truckee senior Isabella Terrazas.

In the girls large school race, Redwood Larkspur junior Helena Janku is scheduled to compete, along with Cosumnes Oaks junior Natalie Harper and Woodcreek senior Lisa Irvine.

The boys extra large school race will showcase Amador Valley’s Aidan McCarthy and Jack Gray, along with Lowell senior Zachary Parker.

The boys large school race is expected to include Redwood Larkspur junior Hudson Grace, Woodcreek senior Lucas Reeves and Carson NV senior Zachary Sever.

College Prep senior Jacob Lehmann Duke is scheduled to participate in the boys small school race, in addition to Stockton St. Mary’s sophomore Daniel Winter and Cloverdale senior Paden Collard.

City pride

The L.A. City Section has achieved a pair of significant victories at Clovis in recent seasons, with El Camino Real standout Justin Hazell prevailing in the boys championship race in 2017 and Granada Hills talent Sofia Abrego winning the girls extra large school race last year as a freshman.

Abrego returns this year to compete in the championship race, but there are other City Section programs that will look to grab the spotlight in their respective races.

Contreras and El Camino Real are also scheduled to compete, along with Granada Hills.

Abrego ran the second-fastest time among all ninth-graders at last year’s meet by clocking 18:00.3. She is looking to join former Palisades star Marissa Williams as the only City Section female athletes ever to run under 18 minutes at Woodward Park.

Williams, a two-time Division 1 state runner-up, achieved the feat from 2012-14. She holds the City Section sophomore record at Woodward Park at 17:15.