By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 43rd ASICS Clovis Cross Country Invitational is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8 at Woodward Park in Fresno, Calif.

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

The wait is over

For the first time since competing in a Marmonte League meet Sept. 8 at Peppertree Park, the Newbury Park boys cross country team will field a full lineup in the Rob Brenner championship race at the ASICS Clovis Invitational.

The Panthers are making their first appearance at Woodward Park since producing the all-time record on the 5-kilometer layout by clocking 73 minutes, 22.7 seconds last year to capture the Division 1 state title.

Although Newbury Park is back in Division 2 this year and the Panthers graduated Colin Sahlman and Daniel Appleford from the strongest high school lineup in history that prevailed in December at the Garmin RunningLane Championships at John Hunt Park in Alabama, there is plenty of motivation for the top-ranked program in the country to secure another victory in the Rob Brenner championship race after losing to Great Oak in 2019 by a 57-65 margin.

Leo Young became the third-fastest competitor at Woodward Park last year by clocking 14:28.0 at the Division 1 state championship, with Lex Young elevating to No. 5 all-time at 14:30.9.

Fellow senior Aaron Sahlman, who ran 14:43.5 last season at the ASICS Clovis Invitational to equal the No. 13 athlete in history at Woodward Park, also returns for Newbury Park.

German Fernandez of Riverbank established the 5-kilometer all-time course record at Woodward Park of 14:24 at the 2007 Division 4 state final.

Sahlman and the Young brothers, both Stanford commits, are expected to be joined by Aaron Cantu, Dev Doshi, Brandon Guevara and Brayden Seymour, a transfer from Hagerty High in Florida making his debut appearance in Fresno.

Doshi could have a significant impact on Newbury Park’s success after clocking 15:40.6 at last year’s state final, especially after running 14:59.7 in the league opener.

Newbury Park swept the top four spots in last year’s Rob Brenner championship race, with Colin Sahlman winning in 14:29.4, followed by Leo Young in 14:33.2, Lex Young in 14:34.6 and Aaron Sahlman in 14:43.5.

Nico Young of Newbury Park still boasts the meet record of 14:28.9 from the 2019 Rob Brenner championship race.

Buchanan back for more

Although the Buchanan girls went unbeaten in four appearances at Woodward Park last season, winning the Bill Buettner championship race at the ASICS Clovis Invitational, along with victories at the Tri-River Athletic Conference and Central Section finals, in addition to capturing the Division 1 state title, the Bears still have unfinished business on their home 5-kilometer course.

Buchanan has aspirations to become the fastest girls team in history at Woodward Park, targeting the 2015 mark of 89 minutes, 10.8 seconds achieved by Great Oak at the Division 1 state final.

Despite the Bears prevailing by a 57-65 margin in last year’s Bill Buettner championship race, Newbury Park ran the fastest time in ASICS Clovis Invitational history by clocking 89:42.1, eclipsing the 2014 performance of 89:43.7 by Great Oak.

Buchanan clocked 89:57.8 at the meet last year, just missing its program record of 89:44.6 from the 2019 state final.

Newbury Park joined Buchanan, Davis Senior, Great Oak and Saugus to become the fifth all-time program to produce a sub-90 effort at Woodward Park.

With the addition of freshmen Kynzlee Buckley and Tayler Torosian, joining sophomores Sierra Cornett and Elle Lomeli, along with seniors Grace Hutchison, Caroline Mendyk and Sydney Sundgren, Buchanan has the potential to become the first girls team to eclipse the 89-minute barrier at Woodward Park.

The Bears have yet to place all seven athletes on the starting line together this year, as they were separated by grade levels Sept. 10 at the Kingsburg 2-Mile and Sept. 23 at the Douglas P. Rudolf Invitational in Visalia.

Buckley competed at Woodbridge and Torosian raced at Mooney Grove Park in the team’s most recent meet.

After capturing its first Bill Buettner championship race victory at the ASICS Clovis Invitational since 2012 with last year’s triumph, Buchanan looks to join Great Oak in achieving at least three sub-90 performances at Woodward Park. The Wolfpack lead all girls programs in Woodward Park history with four sub-90 efforts.

Determining the best of the rest

Although it will be the first opportunity this season for Granada, Great Oak, San Clemente, Ventura and Crescenta Valley to square off against Newbury Park in the Rob Brenner championship race, it will be a meaningful opportunity for the three programs to renew acquaintances after several of them competed Sept. 16 in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race at the 41st Woodbridge Classic Presented by ASICS at Great Park.

Granada was the top California program at Woodbridge, finishing fourth overall with 180 points behind Herriman High of Utah (117 points), Crater High of Oregon (139 points) and Southlake Carroll High of Texas (160 points).

Great Oak placed fifth at Woodbridge with 205 points and San Clemente earned eighth with 265 points, with Ventura grabbing 10th with 351 points.

Crescenta Valley didn’t attend Woodbridge, but triumphed Sept. 17 in the Division 1 senior/invitational race at the ASICS Mt. Carmel Invitational at Balboa Park’s Morley Field.

Granada hasn’t been significantly tested since Woodbridge, but is expected to race Dheeraj Gurusamy, Luther Hart, Liam Manley, Roland Ruckmann-Barnes, Eshaan Singh, Farin Soriano and Jake Walton.

Gurusamy and Ruckmann-Barnes helped Granada place second at the Division 2 state final last year and both placed in the top 25 in the Doug Speck sweepstakes at Woodbridge. Ruckmann-Barnes was the state runner-up in 15:22.9.

San Clemente triumphed in the Division 1 senior/invitational race Sept. 24 at the Dana Hills Nike Invitational and is looking to build on the momentum behind the lineup of Rory Catsimanes, Juan Chantaca, Pierce Clark, Taj Clark, Brett Ephraim, Dallin Harrington and Grant Sestak.

Chantaca, Ephraim and Catsimanes all placed in the top seven at Dana Hills and ran sub-15 on the 3-mile course. Chantaca and Ephraim both finished in the top 30 at the Division 1 state final last year to help the Tritons finish fourth overall.

Great Oak is looking to rebound from another fifth-place sweepstakes finish, this time Sept. 24 at the Bob Firman Invitational at Eagle Island State Park in Idaho.

The Wolfpack won six consecutive Rob Brenner championship races from 2014-19 and haven’t finished outside of the top two at an ASICS Clovis Invitational the program has attended since 2009.

Mark Cortes, Ramses Cortes, Austin Elkins, Nick Gaffney, Jeffrey Keeney, Nathan Lennox and Gabriel Rodriguez are looking to help Great Oak get back on track after it placed runner-up behind Newbury Park last year in the Rob Brenner championship race.

Ventura has the potential to challenge for a Division 2 podium finish in November and competing in another elite field will be beneficial for the lineup of Grant Baysinger, Hollis Costa, Nick DeGeorge, Micah Grossman, Henry Hammel and Lucas Malone.

Crescenta Valley was fourth in the Rob Brenner championship race last year, placing ahead of San Clemente, and has the potential to be in the top five once again behind the lineup of Jamie Cartnal, Joshua Chambers, Luke Cheney, Harrison Connors, Parker Simmons, Eddie Sion and Liam Zadoorian.

Sophomore showdown should be special

The Bill Buettner girls championship race last year showcased the first high school showdown involving Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura and Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa Montgomery, now two of the nation’s elite sophomore competitors.

Engelhardt was second last season behind Samantha McDonnell of Newbury Park, now a freshman at Alabama, by a 17:02.03 to 17:02.28 margin, with Thomsen taking seventh in 17:39.9.

Since then, Thomsen not only captured the Division 3 state cross country championship last year, she also won the state 3,200-meter title in May.

Engelhardt became only the second ninth-grader in history to eclipse the 17-minute barrier at Woodward Park, clocking 16:58.7 in the Division 2 state final to finish runner-up behind Dalia Frias of Mira Costa.

She also secured a state crown in the spring, winning the 1,600 title at Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis.

Engelhardt and Thomsen will renew acquaintances, looking to join a group of four sophomores all-time to produce sub-17 efforts on the 5-kilometer layout.

Claudia Lane of Malibu High set the all-time sophomore mark at the 2016 Division 4 state final by clocking 16:45.0.

Olivia Williams of Acalanes ran 16:56.2 to place second in the Division 4 state championship race last season, moving ahead of former Vista del Lago standout Alex Klos among the all-time sophomore performances at Woodward Park.

Klos still boasts the fastest sophomore effort in ASICS Clovis Invitational history by clocking 16:57.0 to place second in 2019 behind Buchanan’s Corie Smith, who ran a meet-record 16:53.9.

Fiona O’Keeffe of Davis Senior, who recently captured the USATF 10-Mile road title, ran 16:58.8 as a sophomore to capture the 2013 Division 1 state crown.

The 2019 showdown involving Smith and Klos remains the only time in ASICS Clovis Invitational history that a pair of athletes have both produced sub-17 performances, two of the six achieved all-time at the meet.

Payton Godsey, a junior at Oaks Christian, also has the potential to challenge the 17-minute barrier after finishing fifth at the Division 4 state final last season in 17:35.3. Godsey clocked 15:51.9 on the 3-mile layout at Great Park in Irvine to place second Sept. 16 behind Engelhardt in the Bob Day girls sweepstakes race at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS.

Ashlyn Boothby, a junior at Scotts Valley, took third in the Division 4 state final last year in 17:27.1 after prevailing in the small school girls varsity race at the ASICS Clovis Invitational in 17:57.2.

Central Section showcase

Led by Clovis senior Christopher Caudillo, several of the top boys athletes and programs in the Central Section will get their first of four potential opportunities this season to compete at Woodward Park.

Carter Spradling, a junior at Clovis East, could compete on the 5-kilometer course five times after racing Sept. 30 at the Clovis West Golden Eagle Invitational.

Clovis, which had Josiah Delgadillo, Cole McNeal, Joaquin McGee, Jalen Morales and Isaiah Watkins compete at the Clovis West event, is scheduled to be joined in the Rob Brenner boys championship race by Buchanan, Madera South and San Luis Obispo.

Clovis finished 12th, Madera South was 17th and Buchanan finished 19th overall in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race Sept. 16 at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS at Great Park in Irvine.

Spradling placed 11th on the 3-mile course in 14:07.0, with Caudillo clocking 14:13.3 to secure 16th.

This will be the first opportunity for San Luis Obispo, led by senior Milo Skapinsky, to compete this season at Woodward Park after winning the Division 2 state and inaugural NXR California championships last year.

Clovis West earned eighth in last year’s Rob Brenner championship race, San Luis Obispo secured ninth, Clovis took 13th, Madera South finished 15th, Clovis North finished 21st and Buchanan placed 22nd.

Clovis West is scheduled to compete this year in the boys varsity large schools division and Clovis North in the extra large schools division.

Caudillo was the individual winner at NXR California last season and clocked 14:53.2 in December after eclipsing the 15-minute barrier for the first time by running 14:59.2 at the Division 1 state final.

Although Madera South graduate Eduardo “Lalo” Herrera, former Buchanan standout CJ Albertson and Caudillo have all produced sub-15 performances at Woodward Park, no Central Section male athlete has achieved the feat at the ASICS Clovis Invitational. Caudillo clocked 15:00.0 last season.

Lions looking to achieve divisional dominance

JSerra is highly motivated to close the gap against Buchanan in the Bill Buettner girls championship race after the Bears held a 91-175 advantage in their first meeting Sept. 16 in the Bob Day girls sweepstakes competition at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS at Great Park in Irvine.

But the Lions are also prepared to take aim at the Division 4 all-time mark of 90:58.6 achieved in 2019 by Sage Creek. They will pursue the impressive standard in a race that is also scheduled to include Division 4 rivals Oaks Christian, La Canada and La Jolla.

JSerra captured the Division 4 state title last year and returned the following week to finish runner-up behind Clovis North at the inaugural NXR California event, clocking 94:01.3.

Such a significant drop in less than a year might seem ambitious, but the Lions have bolstered their lineup with the addition of freshmen Kaylah Tasser and Summer Wilson, and have already demonstrated they can compete with the elite programs in the country by finishing fourth at Woodbridge.

Brynn Garcia, Georgia Jeanneret, Ellie Johnson, Brooke O’Brien and Anastasia Snodgrass all have experience competing at Woodward Park, looking to eclipse the 18-minute barrier and continue to build momentum for the Lions a week ahead of the Orange County Championships in Irvine.

Katherine Delaney remains the fastest JSerra athlete all-time at Woodward Park, clocking 17:48.0 to finish runner-up at the 2010 Division 4 state final.

Garcia is the only current member of the JSerra lineup to produce a sub-18 performance on a 5-kilometer course in high school, clocking 17:55.0 last season in the Jim Danner Championship race at Nike Portland XC at Blue Lake Regional Park in Oregon.

Impressive tour continues for Douglas

Will Douglas has already experienced some of the most prestigious 5-kilometer courses in the Southeast, with the senior at Camden Central High in Tennessee competing this season at the Southern Showcase at John Hunt Park in Alabama, as well as the Wingfoot XC Classic at Sam Smith Park in Georgia.

Now, the University of Alabama commit is traveling West to tackle the California state meet course as part of the Rob Brenner championship race.

The last time a male athlete from outside California competed in the Rob Brenner championship race, it resulted in one of the best showdowns in meet history, with Leo Daschbach of Highland High in Arizona challenging Nico Young of Newbury Park in 2019, before being edged by a 14:28.9 to 14:30.9 margin.

Although Douglas isn’t expected to approach those all-time marks, he is looking to produce the first sub-15 performance of his career on a 5-kilometer layout.

Douglas clocked 15:08.1 last year at the Southern Showcase at John Hunt Park, the same course where he ran 15:24.8 on Sept. 17, followed by a 15:33.1 effort Sept. 24 at the Wingfoot XC Classic in Cartersville.

Of the 52 prep competitors who have achieved sub-15 performances at Woodward Park, eight of them are from outside California, including athletes from Arizona, Oregon and Washington, but Daschbach is the only one to achieve the feat at the ASICS Clovis Invitational, with the others coming from 1980-93 at the Kinney and Foot Locker West Regional events.

Douglas will be joined in the Rob Brenner championship race by California individual entries Sean Morello of Albany, Broen Holman of Sonora, Carter Spradling of Clovis East, Ryan Mitchell of Davis Senior, Matthew Donis of Palmdale Highland, Cameron Rhone of Long Beach Poly, Jason Parra of Long Beach Millikan and Billie Issa of West Ranch.

Los Altos seeking Northern California supremacy

Having already prevailed by a 50-82 margin Sept. 17 against Campolindo at the De La Salle/Carondelet Nike Invitational at Newhall Park in Concord, Los Altos will have an opportunity to square off against fellow Northern California powers Granite Bay, Monte Vista, Oak Ridge, St. Francis Mountain View and St. Francis Sacramento in another significant test in preparation for the postseason.

The Eagles also have the potential to challenge the all-time Central Coast Section mark at Woodward Park of 92:26.4 established in 2015 by Division 3 state champion Aptos.

St. Francis of Mountain View achieved the fastest time by a Central Coast Section Division 2 program at Woodward Park, running 92:46.9 at the 2019 state final. St. Francis is the only other Central Coast Section team to join Aptos in producing a sub-93 effort on the 5-kilometer layout.

Lauren Soobrian, a senior for Los Altos, returns to Fresno after winning the inaugural NXR California event in December in 17:40.6. She clocked 17:39.4 on Sept. 20 at a Santa Clara Valley Athletic League meet at Baylands Park in Sunnyvale.

After finishing sixth at the Division 1 state final last year, Los Altos is competing in Division 2 this season and has not only emerged as a podium contender, but a legitimate challenger to capture a championship.

Lauren Soobrian has received strong support from sophomore sister Emily Soobrian, as well as juniors Jasleen Sidhu, Madeline Randall and Samantha Patel, along with seniors Ella Fadil and Fiona Bodkin.

Granite Bay was not at full strength Sept. 10 at the Lowell Invitational, but still managed to win its varsity race, with Los Altos prevailing in another section at Golden Gate Park.

Granite Bay, which finished third in the Division 2 state final last year after placing fifth in the Bill Buettner championship race at the ASICS Clovis Invitational, is expected to have Emily Allison, Grace Baxter, Carly Foster, Courtney Franz, Lizzy Hansen, Kylie Nasca and Olivia Wiese competing.

St. Francis Mountain View was fourth at the Division 2 state championship last season after securing seventh in the Bill Buettner championship race.

Caitlin Cilley, Lauren Draper, Anna Fawcett, Lillian Kaelber, Katie Mullane, Hinako Yamamoto and Sabrina Zanetto are scheduled to race for the Lancers.

St. Francis Sacramento won the girls varsity large school race last year at the ASICS Clovis Invitational and earned eighth at the Division 2 state final.

The Troubadours, under the guidance of former Oak Ridge coach Chad Worthen, are elevating to the Bill Buettner championship race this year.

Emma Dobson, Grace Dunham, Paige Quigley, Ryann Strawn, Kelsey Sutch, Kayla Towne and Daphne Witherell are the expected lineup for St. Francis.

Oak Ridge, which took third in the Bill Buettner girls championship race along with placing third in the Division 1 state final last year, is prepared to challenge again.

Nola Boucher, Brooke Butler, Addison Clinton, Fiona Gordon, Adriana Ingargiola, Julia Padilla and Quinn Walker are scheduled to compete for the Trojans.

Monte Vista returns to the ASICS Clovis Invitational for the first time since 2019, looking to build off an 11th-place finish at the Division 2 state final last year.

Maraki Amare, Sally Binder, Peyton Dolan, Sofia Fernandez, Shelby Lew, Alexandra Powell and Allie Tums are expected to participate in the Bill Buettner championship race for the Mustangs.

Building toward big breakthroughs

One of the most improved athletes, not only in California but the entire country, has been La Costa Canyon junior Gioana Lopizzo, who has strung together three consecutive sub-17 performances in 3-mile races entering her first 5-kilometer competition of the season in the Bill Buettner girls championship race.

Lopizzo ran 19:11.3 at Woodward Park in the Division 3 state final last year, but has demonstrated significant improvement this season, including her victory Oct. 1 in 16:40.5 at the ASICS Temecula Twilight at Galway Downs.

Dana Hills senior Allura Markow, who prevailed Sept. 24 against Lopizzo at the Dana Hills Nike Invitational with a 16:38.3 effort on the 3-mile layout, will be the Dolphins’ only entry in the Bill Buettner championship race.

Markow was 14th in the Division 2 state final last year after placing 23rd in the Bill Buettner championship race in 18:11.3. But winning on her home course demonstrates Markow is capable of an impressive drop in such an elite field after being slowed by an ankle injury in the Bob Day girls sweepstakes race Sept. 16 at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS.

Ashlyn Leath of Clovis North clocked 17:47.8 to place runner-up behind Lauren Soobrian of Los Altos at the inaugural NXR California event in December and could be positioned well for another step forward in her development in the Bill Buettner championship race after earning all-state honors with a 10th-place finish at the Division 1 final last season.

Leath finished fifth Sept. 24 at the Jim Danner championship race at Nike Portland XC at Blue Lake Regional Park in Oregon.

Makenzie McRae, a junior at Huntington Beach, was 27th at the DIvision 1 state championship last year in 18:29.2, but she triumphed Sept. 10 at the Laguna Hills Invitational and clocked 16:51.6 on the 3-mile course at Great Park in the Bob Day sweepstakes at Woodbridge, and has the potential for a sub-18 effort in the Bill Buettner championship race.

Rylee Blade, a sophomore at Corona Santiago, opened her season Sept. 3 with a victory in the Sundown Showdown at the Cool Breeze Invitational and hasn’t slowed down since, with the sophomore running 16:39.6 on the 3-mile layout at Woodbridge.

Blade was 33rd as a freshman at the Division 1 state final in 18:36.2, but is searching to lead the Sharks with a strong effort on the 5-kilometer layout at Woodward Park.

Grant Morgenfeld won the large school boys varsity race in 15:30.2 last year at the ASICS Clovis Invitational, but the Palo Alto junior is looking to rebound from a 34th-place finish at the Division 1 state final.

Morgenfeld won Sept. 17 at the De La Salle/Carondelet Nike Invitational and is motivated to excel against an elite field in the Rob Brenner championship race.

Daegan Cutter, a senior at Larkspur Redwood High, is also competing in the Rob Brenner championship race after securing seventh in the large school varsity race last season in 15:55.3.

Cutter clocked 14:18.8 on the 3-mile course at Woodbridge after opening his season Sept. 10 with a top-five performance at the Lowell Invitational.

Cameron Rhone, a senior at Long Beach Poly, enjoyed a big moment Sept. 24 by taking third in the Jim Danner championship race in 14:59.1 at Nike Portland XC, but is looking to embrace the spotlight in the Rob Brenner championship race in his debut at Woodward Park.

Billie Issa, a senior at West Ranch, is also competing for the first time on the 5-kilometer layout in Fresno, hoping to continue his ascent following a 13:57.9 effort on the 3-mile course at Great Park to secure sixth in the Doug Speck sweepstakes at Woodbridge.

Ryan Mitchell of Davis Senior was 25th last year in the Rob Brenner championship race in 15:34.2, but after securing 50th in the Division 1 state final last season, the senior is looking to establish confidence again at Woodward Park.

Mitchell has won four races this fall, including Oct. 1 at the Tom Laythe Invitational at Willow Hills, and placed second behind Morgenfeld at the De La Salle/Carondelet Nike Invitational.

Small school scenarios

The Menlo School boys are representing Division 5 in the Rob Brenner championship race, with JiaLian Mackey of Viewpoint and Athena Ryan of Sonoma Academy competing in the Bill Buettner girls championship race.

Menlo, which finished seventh at the Division 4 state final last year, has benefited from the shift to Division 5 and has already established itself as a championship contender in November, along with Central Coast Section and West Bay Athletic League rival Crystal Springs Uplands, as well as Yosemite High from the Central Section.

Menlo finished 14th in the Doug Speck boys sweepstakes race Sept. 16 at the 41st Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Presented by ASICS at Great Park in Irvine, and is now looking to take aim at the Division 5 all-time mark at Woodward Park of 79:40.8 achieved at the 2015 state final by Flintridge Prep.

Alex Boesch, Aiden Deffner, William Hauser, Justin Pretre, Landon Pretre, Jared Saal and James Yue are scheduled to compete for Menlo.

Yosemite, which placed 14th in last year’s Division 4 state final, is also competing in Division 5 this season.

Logan Beaumont, Noah Graffigna, Robby Gresham, Ben Olney, Jack Olney, Anthony Ruiz and Ford Stegge are entered for Yosemite in the small school boys varsity race, with the Badgers looking to improve on their fifth-place finish from last season in a competition involving both Division 4 and 5 programs.

Mackey returns to the Bill Buettner championship race after finishing 25th last season in 18:13.0 in her debut at Woodward Park. She finished 11th at the Division 5 state final and has been motivated to compete again on the 5-kilometer layout, especially after clocking a 3-mile personal-best 16:54.6 in the Bob Day girls sweepstakes race Sept. 16 at Woodbridge.

The remainder of the Viewpoint lineup, which consists of Erin Beazley, Kendall Conte, Micah Gutman, Alexa Jeong, Ella Katz and Sofia Tapia, are entered in the girls varsity small school race, with an opportunity to compete against reigning Division 5 state champion San Francisco University.

The Red Devils prevailed by a 67-86 margin against Division 4 Oaks Christian in last year’s small school race, then edged North Coast Section rival Lick-Wilmerding 100-103 to capture a record 11th state title in November.

Mia Giles, Chapel King, Lucinda Laughlin, Sophia Nichol, Saskia Prillinger Ogirydziak, Finny Smit and Erin Wadsworth are expected to compete for San Francisco University.

Without Mackey, Viewpoint placed seventh in the small school race at last year’s meet.