DyeStatCal's Division IV Preseason Top 10 Teams
Big Bear, Big Bear Lake (SS) The team on top of the mountain should be the team "on top of the mountain" when all is said and done. The Bears return everyone from last year's runner-up squad (24 points behind team champion Piedmont last year), led by senior All-American candidate Chad Hall and fellow all-stater Berto Solis.
Laguna Beach (SS) The beachside boys lose their top two runners from the third-place team at the 2005 state meet, but otherwise return all others and start off with a less than 60-second scoring gap. Andrew Raub leads four seniors on the squad.
McFarland (CE) Despite graduating five and having no seniors-to-be among the varsity returnees, the division is not deep and the small schools juggernaut should have the numbers on board to reload, with junior Jesus Gomez leading.
St. Mary's College, Berkeley (NCS) Returning all-stater Matt Duffy and pre-season all-stater Rob Riccardi. Returning five from last year's 6th-place team at state. Enormous time gap among its scoring runners.
Riverbank (SJS) With the late-season status of German Fernandez yet unknown, we're tacking on extra points to this team's total, just in case he doesn't return. Aside from the defending state champion Fernandez, Riverbank (13th last year) returns five others.
Morro Bay (SS) The Pirates return six others from last year's 14th-place unit. Senior Addison Cugini leads a closely bunched pack for longtime successful coach Cary Nerelli.
Sacred Heart Cathedral (CCS) In position to benefit quickly. SHC, which welcomes back its top three scorers and three others from last year's 18th-place team at state. Nick Cannata-Bowman and Ethan Wicklund are the team's top performers from a year ago.
Colfax (SJS) Three scorers are gone from last year's 7th-place team which rose admirably throughout the season to forge a reputation for itself. Greg Reynolds and Jonathan Crebbin lead a fine crew for 2006.
King City (CCS) Only two scorers are among the four returnees, but all-state candidate Oscar Pena and Filiberto Ramos are a very nice starting point with which to build from.
Avenal (CE) The senior trio of Alfonso Gonzalez, Jose Arellano and Luis Campana lead all returnees from a group that finished way down the statndings at the 2005 state meet but will be seeking to make amends in 2006!
DyeStatCal's Division I Preseason Top 10 Individuals
1.
Chad Hall (12 - Big Bear, Big Bear Lake-SS) Which Chad Hall will show up, people are asking. Will it be the kid that torched the Mt. SAC course for a sparkling 14:58 at the Southern Section final? Or the one that ran 53 seconds slower in capturing a distant second at the California state meet and then was a no-show at FootLocker Regionals? Our prediction is the former, not the latter. Off to a modest start of his prep career three years ago, it wasn't until last year that hall began finding his niche. As his experience grows and his saavy sharpens, look for the superb talent to make bigger believers out of everyone. The talent is definitely there. Eveythnig else will fall into place in due time.
2. German Fernandez (11 - Riverbank-SJS)
The last report we've had on the defending state champion is not good. After downright stunning runaway efforts in localized Sac-Joaquin Section action last Fall, injury and knee surgery have befallen the lithe youngster with the oh-so-sweet stride and the purring cardiovascular engine. It remains to be seen if he'll return after repeated setbacks in track, and what fitness level he'll be at. If he returns -- even without a summer base -- he has the tools to keep Hall honest. If he comes back and rounds into shape better than expected, he'll challenge for a berth to nationals. Yes, he's THAT good.
3. Mark Ceraldi (12 - Piedmont-NCS)
On the topic of uncertainties, there were rumors swirling in early summer that Ceraldi would not run cross-country his senior year. Not so, says Piedmont coach Doyle O'Regan, whose midsummer report on his star runner was a very encouraging one as to his showings in workouts. A year ago, he keyed the team title. This year, he'll also seek individual glory. By the way, don't be surprised if Piedmont moves into the team rankings by season's end.
4.
Beto Solis (11 - Big Bear, Big Bear Lake-SS)Solis enjoyed a fabulous sophomore year in which he earned all-state acolades in helping the Bears onto the team podium in Fresno. Imagine what another summer of trainnig with Chad Hall will do? Yikes!
5. Matt Duffy (11 - St. Mary's, Berkeley-NCS)
The second-fastest underclassman in the division at the state meet (only to Fernandez), look for Duffy to make a statewide name for himself (across all divisions) this fall while waging a fierce North Coast Section war with Ceraldi in the big meets.
6. Erick Garcia (12 - Parlier-CE)
Was perhaps the state's premier frosh three years ago, with the Central Californian aiming to keep pace with the Golden State's best this Fall. placed ninth at the state meet a year ago while competing as an individual.
7.
Adam Cunningham (12 - Milken Community, Van Nuys-SS)At a San Fernando Valley school named for junk bond king Michael Milken, sports have never really prospered. However, Cunningham can take a few big steps in changing that. The #3 returnee in the Southern Section (and just six seconds away from all-state accolades last Fall), Cunningham is a fine young athlete seeking to break up the Big Bear duo of Hall and Solis atop the Southland D4 hierarchy.
8. Rob Riccardi (12 - St. Mary's, Berkeley-NCS)
Placing 20th at the state meet last year, Riccardi is part of a fine batch of small-schools harriers assembled within the NCS. Will have plenty of competition as he seeks to improve.
9. Wes Buntman (12 - Monte Vista-CCS)
The Central Coast Section title favorite (beating the section's next best returnee by 23 seconds), Buntman placed 17th at last year's state meet.while competing as an individual.
10.
Marcus Buckles (12 - Twentynine Palms-SS) Was within one second of all non-seniors not named Chad Hall at last year's Southern Section Finals before having a setback at state. Has been off the radar muich of the way.
