Girls Sweeps Strong As Ever, If Fields Stay Put

By Rich Gonzalez
Editor, DyeStatCal

       (SEPTEMBER 3, 2009) -- Led by perhaps the finest senior in the nation in 2009, The Woodlands High School from Texas will be back to invade the Golden State on the third weekend of September for the always thrilling Woodbridge Cross-Country Classic, taking on a California contingent that includes national powers Saugus, Esperanza and Mira Costa.

       The Woodlands' Sarah Andrews, who last year crushed Christine Babcock's junior class meet record with an amazing run of 16:17 on the ultra-fast three-mile course, leads one of the stronger teams in the nation but her squad will be competing in the perhaps the deepest state in the country (through 10 deep per state).

  
       Saugus leads the California contingent and ranks second nationally after returning four from last year's Nike Cross Nationals runner-up squad. Kaylin Mahoney and quickly improving Stephanie Bulder lead the dynamite crew but Centurions Coach Rene Paragas warns his team is banged up right now and will not be sharp for this night-time meet, where it dominated last year in a 44-117 victory over the Lone Star State visitors.

  
       Saugus remains the clear-cut team favorite as The Woodlands' Andrews is at the front end of what is an ucharacteristcally large time gap for scorers on a national caliber team, with the group often gapping close to three minutes. The team gapped 'only' 1:50 here last year, but the flat layout does not typically separate teams and runners as much as a hillier course would. Such large gaps allow other top teams to stuff all scorers in before those pivotal fourth and fifth team scorers for The Woodlands.

  
       Although several top California girls teams are entered, don't expect them to automatically burn up the course here. In fact, of the teams to finish in the top 10 overall at the year-end Caliornia state meet, only Saugus (1st) and Crescenta Valley (7th) finished in the Top 10 here. Nine of the top 15 teams in the California "Hot 100" will be competing.

  
       Below are the entries for the girls sweepstakes and rated races. If any coach wishes to scratch out of the race, please send an email so that a deserving alternate team can be added in.