Weekend Preview
- West Coast XC
- 2 minutes ago
- 9 min read
CIF SS Masters Meet - May 23, 2026
Moorpark High School - Moorpark, CA
Watch the preview HERE
The top runners in Southern California will try to qualify for the California State Meet and here are the athletes to watch:
1600 Meters
Braelyn Combe of Santiago (Corona) continues to impress in all three distance events and is the favorite to win the 1600 and advance to State. Combe defended her CIF Division 1 title last week with a win in 4:41.36 and won CIF State last spring in a time of 4:35.64. Gweneth Williams of El Toro won CIF Division 2 last week in a season best of 4:51.05. Reese Holley of JSerra won CIF division 3 in a PB time of 4:48.28. Other contenders are Isla Terrill of Monrovia with her PB of 4:48.68 set at Mt SAC Relays and Delaney Napierala of Oaks Christian who ran 4:50.44 at the Hi-Racer Meet of Champions in March. The at-large qualifying time is 4:52.04.
Maximo Zavaleta of MLK won CIF Division 1 in a smoking fast time of 4:04.28. Right on Zavaleta's heels was Aidan Antonio of Woodbridge with is 4:05.14 finish. Vin Krueger of Oaks Christian won the Division 3 CIF Final in a time of 4:06.98. Jace Deledonne of Poly (Riverside) and Krish Desai both ran 4:07 in the Division 1 final last week. Jonah Vasquez of Cathedral ran 4:08.44 to qualify for Masters and he is running his first track season as a senior. All of the runners mentioned above have run faster than the at-large 1600 time of 4:11.75.
800 Meters
Braelyn Combe of Santiago (Corona) returns from racing the 1600 earlier in the meet and is the favorite in the 800 meters as well. Combe ran her personal best of 2:04.52 at The Ten in March and won CIF Finals D1 in a time of 2:07.33 last weekend. Reese Holley of JSerra is also coming back from the 1600 and is listed in the 800. Holley ran 2:09.99 to win division 3 last week. Grace Smith of Claremont won the division 2 race in 2:12 and last ran 2:07.33 to finish second at the California State Meet as a freshman. Nicole Samson of Santiago (Corona) has 2:07.82 personal best and Shirayah Lewis-Williams of Long Beach Wilson enters the Masters Meet with a personal best of 2:08.83. Southern Section is fast as all the athletes previewed have raced faster than the at-large time of 2:11.70.
Alden Morales of JSerra won CIF Finals D3 in a time of 1:52.07 and has a personal best time of 1:49.91. Ryan Burger of Mira Costa won CIF Finals D1 in a time of 1:52.68 and ran 1:50.98 earlier this season at Mt SAC Relays. Vin Krueger of Oaks Christian will come back from the 1600 and has a personal best time of 1:50.42, Jack Burnett of JSerra has run 1:51.73 and Erick De Leon of La Serna ran 1:52.17 this season. The at-large time for the boy's 800 is 1:53.16.
4 X 800
The most exciting race will be the 4 X 800 as only four teams qualify with no auto-qualifiers. Big four teams in the girls' 4 X 800 have all run under nine minutes this season. JSerra won the Arcadia Invitational showdown earlier this season over Santiago (Corona). Claremont has a deep line up as well as Long Beach Wilson. All four teams have a number of athletes racing earlier in the day in the 1600 an 800.
An number of boy's teams have run under 7:50 this year in the 4 X 800 including Loyola, Dos Pueblos, JSerra, MLK and Redondo Union.
3200 Meters
Summer Wilson of Irvine ran her season best time in her CIF Finals D1 victory last week in a time of 10:23.01. Last January Wilson ran 9:56.59 in a two mile race in January. Monserrat Santillan Silva won CIF Finals D3 and ran 10:27.36 earlier this season. Delaney Napierala of Oaks Christian and Isla Bulmer of Claremont are coming back from the 1600 and look to qualify in the 3200. Anais Cruz of Westlake ran her personal best of 10:33.76 last week at CIF Finals. The at-large time is 10:29.42.
Maximo Zavaleta of MLK won CIF Finals D1 last week, has a personal best time of 8:43.21 and is also entered in the 1600. Mario Montoya of Redondo Union ran on Zavaleta's shoulder last week at CIF Finals and finished with a time of 8:51.63. Olly O'Connor of Viewpoint won CIF D4 Finals and has run 8:54.21 this season. Michael Scarinice of South Pasadena was the division 3 victor at CIF Finals last week and ran 8:57.88 at The Ten in March. Oliver Hunter of Dana Point ran his personal best last week at CIF Finals in a time of 9:00.06. The at-large time to shoot for is 9:02.48.
Look for photo galleries of CIF SS Masters soon after the meet!
NCS Meet of Champions - May 22 - May 23, 2026
Dublin High School - Dublin, CA
Here is a look at some of the athletes hoping to qualify for next week's California State Meet.
1600 Meters
Farah Allen of Branson, a Brooks XC qualifier, ran 4:50.85 at the 2026 MCALTrack and Field Championship earlier this month. Ella Mogannam of Lick-Wilmerding ran the section's fastest time of 2026 at the Dublin Distance Fiesta in a time of 4:50.20. Gretchen Yakaitis of Carondelet hopes to continue her excellent senior season into the State Meet and has a best time of 4:51.48 run at the Arcadia Invitational. Sydney Middleton of Redwood ran 4:55.57 at the 2026 MCAL Track and Field Championship. Paula Devine of St. Mary's College ran her season best time last week in 4:55.86. The at-large qualifying time is 4:52.04.
Caden Ehrhorn of Campolindo ran his section leading time of 4:10.61 at the Stanford Invitational. Cooper Lowe of Monte Vista ran his season best of 4:13.10 at The Ten in March. Alex van Veen of Granada ran 4:14.52 at the Arcadia Invitational. Ethan Kraska of San Francisco University ran 4:15.78 at the Stanford Invitational and Finn Harrington of Tamalpais ran 4:18.88 this season. The at-large qualifying time to state is 4:11.75.
800 Meters
Josie Hill of Sonoma Academy opened her season with a 2:06.38 and will possibly run under the at-large time of 2:11.70. Claire Andrzejek of Campolindo has also run under the at-large time with her 2:10.04 as well as Anna Padilla of Monte Vista's time of 2:10.02. Another athlete to watch, in what will probably be a fast 800, is Lanie Hempel of Livermore who has run 2:10.57 this season. Ava McMahan of Tamalpais hopes to follow the top four runners and see her lower her season best of 2:14.19
Nicolai Barron of Granada has the section's fastest 800 meter time of 1:53.11 and there are plenty of challengers like Jack Dufour of Casa Grande who has run 1:53.23 and freshman phenom Phoenix De Maria Nall of Healdsburg has run 1:53.65. Owen Dawson of Analy has run 1:53.87 this season and James Prater of Bishop O'Dowd has 1:54.14 this season. The at-large time for the boy's 800 is 1:53.16.
4 X 800 Meters
Some of the top girls' teams in the 4 X 800 are Northgate who ran their best time at the Dublin Distance Fiesta, Branson ran their best at the Viking Track Classic and Windsor ran their best time last weekend. In the boy's 4 X 800 look for section leader Campolindo to lead the pack with Maria Carrillo, who ran their best time at the North Bay League Finals and Granada who posted their best time at the Bay Area Relays.
3200 Meters
The top 3200 meter girls racing on Saturday include Gretchen Yakaitis of Carondelet who also is listed in the 1600. Yakaitis ran 10:27.91 in March. Alyssa Silverstein ran her 10:36.85 in an April dual meet. Dakota Saenz of Berkeley ran 10:36.97 at the Arcadia Invitational and Farah Allen of Branson ran 10:38.68 at the Viking Track Classic. Allen is also listed in the 1600. Carina Nottingham of Berkeley ran 10:39.19 at the Stanford Invitational. The at-large time is 10:29.42.
Djali de Chalus of St Mary's College ran 9:02.44 (at-large time is 9:02.48) at Arcadia Invitational and has the section's fastest time. Sebastian Taylor of Bishop O'Dowd ran his best time last week at 9:10.68. Djali's teammate Tucker Presnell of St Mary's College has a top time of 9:15.77 also run at Arcadia Invitational. Gavin Shimojima of Amador Valley ran 9:16.81 at Sacramento Meet of Champions.
Look for the gallery from our friend Todd Tokubo
Central Coast Section Championships - May 23, 2026
Gilroy High School - Gilroy, CA
Here are some of the favorites in the CCS that are racing to advance to the California State Meet:
1600 Meters
Anna Salter of Crystal Springs Uplands has the fastest time of the season with her 4:50.12 ran at the Dublin Distance Fiesta. Brooke Oliveira of Castilleja ran her personal best at the WBAL Championship earlier this month. Gelila Hailu of Leigh ran her 4:55.72 at the CCS Top 8 Invitational in April. Cassidy Misuraca of Mountain View ran 4:56.23 at the Stanford Invitational and Brinley of St Francis ran her personal best last wee in 4:58.20. The at-large time for the girls 1600 is 4:52.04.
Stephen Sziebert of Bellarmine College Prep has the fastest time in the section with a 4:07.76 run last week at CCS. Ryan Fitzpatrick of Nueva also ran his season best last Saturday in 4:13.03. Aidan Sharp of Menlo Atherton ran 4:14.24 at Stanford. Henry Hauser of Menlo Schools (4:14.33) and Liam Tassa of Mountain View (4:15.23) ran their best times at Arcadia Invitational. The at-large time is 4:11.75.
800 Meters
Ava Decleve of Scotts Valley is the section leader with a 2:11.26 run at CCS Top 8 Invitational. Several athletes has PBs close to Decleve like Sivani Kaliki of Evergreen Valley (2:11.46), Anna Salter of Crystal Springs Uplands (2:11.48), who is also entered in the 1600, Maya Wastie of St Francis (2:12.60) and Adelyn King (2:12.85). Many of the top runners in the section are under or close to the at-large time of 2:11.70.
The top two runners in the runner have times faster than the at-large 800 time of 1:53.13: Evan Chopra of Menlo Atherton (1:52.23) and Henry Hauser of Menlo Schools (1:52.33) who is also entered in the 1600. Chris Jewitt of Gunn is close to the time with his 1:53.77 and so is Lucas Barbou-des-Places of Los Altos with a 1:54.18.
4 X 800
The girls 4 X 800 will competitive with St Francis and Carlmont looking to be in front with Evergreen Valley, Piedmont and Los Gatos in the chase pack. In the boy's 4 X 800, Mountain View, Bellarmine College Prep, Homestead and Carlmont have all run under eight minutes this season.
3200 Meters
Amaya Bharadwaj of Palo Alto is a candidate to break ten minutes at the State Meet, but first she needs to qualify on Saturday and has the section fastest time of 10:01.93. Brook Oliveira of Castilleja ran 10:30.75 which is close to the at-large time of 10:29.42. Other athletes of note include Gelila Hailu of Leigh (10:42.66) who is also listed in the 1600, Kira Dye of Crystal Springs Uplands (10:47.58) and Daniela Cuadros of Carlmont (10:47.87).
Alijah Murillo of Branham ran his season best of 9:01.55 at Arcadia Invitational which faster than the at-large time of 9:02.48. Rohan Iyer of Milpitas ran 9:10.49 at Stanford Invitational, Ryan Chen of Mountain View ran 9:12.55 also at Stanford, Deven Koppala of Mountain View 9:12.65 ran at Stanford and Cason Mitchell of Menlo Atherton ran 9:12.93 in a competitive 3200 at Stanford.
Look for photo galleries from our friend Todd Tokubo after the meet!
Track Fest - May 23, 2026
Drake Stadium - Westwood, CA
Sound Running is hosting their annual May meet at a new venue, Drake Stadium at UCLA. The meet has a collection of Olympic athletes, former NCAA champions and several current NCAA runners. Olympic Tokyo medalist Raevyn Rogers lines up in the 800 with Roisin Willlis and Allie Wilson. Olympians from Paris Hobbs Kessler, Bryce Kerr and Josh Kerr are lining up.
Olympic medalist Emma Coburn returns in the 3000 steeplechase with Gabbi Jennings and Valerie Constien also racing. Kenneth Rooks, who won silver in Paris, will be tested by former NCAA champion in the steeple Ahmed Jaziri.
Pros Shelby Houlihan and Maggi Congdon will be tested by college athletes Riley Chamberlain of BYU and Silan Ayyildaz of Oregon in the 1500. Nathan Green and Vincent Ciattei will be in a familiar 1500 distance and Graham Blanks, Nico Young and Parker Wolfe will move down to the 1500 distance.
Parker Valby and Lauren Ryan will be in the women's 5000 and collegiate star Habtom Samuel will race with pros like Moh Ahmed and Woody Kincaid. Cooper Lutkenhaus will move up the 1500 distance for the first time as a pro.
Look for photos of Track Fest after the meet!