STATE CROSS COUNTRY

When: Saturday

Where: Woodward Park, Fresno

Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)

Time: First race is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.

Format: 10 races in 5 divisions, boys and girls, based on school enrollment

San Diego boys to watch: It’s possible that the section will have at least two individual boys champions. Francis Parker’s Kenan Pala is unbeaten this year, posting eye-popping times at Mt. SAC (14:24.9) and in the San Diego Section Division V finals (14:22.3 for 2.96 miles). Equally impressive has been Alex Mader of Lick Wilmerding of the North Coast Section, who won that championship over 5K at 15:14.3. How close are they? In the 2019 state championships, Pala was fourth in 15:46.1 and Mader was sixth in 15:49.5. Mader has lost one race all year. Pala has his eyes set on the all-time D-V record of 14:59 by Marin Academy’s Trevor Reinhart (2014) and St. Joseph Notre Dame’s Cooper Teare (2016). The next-fastest runner in this division is Santa Fe Christian’s Mark Trammell (15:00.0 at the section finals). Sage Creek’s Bryce Gilmore is definitely in the mix for the gold medal in Division IV, clocking the secondfastest time (14:56.4) in the section finals. He, too, will have plenty of competition with the likes of Max Sannes of Big Bear (15:11.4) and Adin Dibble of Sonora (15:41.2 over 5K) but he has blazing foot speed. Teamwise, Francis Parker is among the favorites.

Long shot: Grossmont in Division II.

San Diego girls to watch: Three individual titles (boys and girls) would be a San Diego Section all-time best and with the likes of Sage Creek’s Stormy Wallace and late-charging Jacey Farmer of Rancho Bernardo, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Wallace is the consummate big-meet performer as she had the fastest time overall at the section finals at 17:20.9, and she looked like she was cruising. Competition should come from Acalanes’ Olivia Williams (16:15 at Hayward) and Albany’s Sophia Nordenholz who has better times at 3 miles (16:33.6) and 5K (17:28.0) and has run 10:05.91 for 3,200 meters. Farmer has been the feel-good story of 2021 as she battled back from injuries the last two years, collecting personal bests the last two weeks, capturing the section Division I title in 17:26.8. She moved into contention with favorites like Newbury Park’s Samantha McDonnell and Clovis Buchanan’s Sydney Sundgren. Teamwise, Sage Creek will be seeking its third straight D-IV crown with Scotts Valley and Albany the main roadblocks. Cathedral Catholic’s girls are ranked No. 1 in the state in Division III. The Dons are a close-knit team that went 3-4-6-9-10-11-13 led by Alexandria Pena in the section finals. Poway, with a 1-2 finish from Mackenzie Rogers and Tessa Buswell, is coming on strong to be one of the squads to watch in Division II. Long shot: Torrey Pines in Division I.