NOTE: Times listed in preview are from the 1995 CIF Championship Meet, unless designated otherwise.

El Cajon Valley
Division: Two.
Coach: Tony Lee. Assisted by Carlton Hoggard.
Home course: Griffen Park (boys 3.1, girls 2.5).

BOYS: 8 runners.

Returning: Luis Agundez (11) 20:11; Edmundo Trejo (11) 21:07. Agundez is expected to be one of the team's top two runners.

Candidates: Cesar Patricio (11), Diego Trejo (10), Raymond Perez (11), Gary Thomas (11), Kevin Gonzalez (11), Paul Smith (11). Patricio, Lee said, will challenge Agundez. "They're pretty close," Lee said. Both runners put in a good summer of preparation, according to Lee. Gonzalez and Smith are close together and may trade off the three-four spots. Smith, incidentally, also plays football, and does cross country workouts on his own after the end of football practice. "You don't find many kids like that," Lee said.

The outlook: Lee has no seniors on this team, and most of the runners are trying the sport for the first time. "By the end of the season, we will be very respectable," Lee said. "We won't just be overwhelmed."

What's the deal? The El Cajon district has a big turnover from year to year; many of the residents of the area are apartment dwellers who change addresses more frequently than home owners. The result: Lee rarely has a chance to develop an athlete for more than a year or two. "I am very fortunate to have a kid for four years," he said. "It doesn't happen very often." One of the lifebloods of a cross country program is continuity. Lee doesn't have that luxury.

GIRLS: 5 runners.

Returning: Sabrina Miner (10) 20:25; Angela Perry (10) 20:43; Lilian Kassab (12) 22:32. Miner and Perry are the team's best runners so far.

Candidates: Tabitha Carrasco (11), Elizabeth Carrasco (10). Lee is still hoping to add some runners to the roster.

The outlook: "We'll do fairly decent," Lee said. "We can be respectable."

El Capitan
Division: Two.
Coaches: Dick Wilkins, boys; and Bill Cleves, girls. Assisted by Mike Muirhead.
Home course: Lindo Lakes (boys 3.1; girls 2.1)

BOYS: 25 runners.

Best runner: Steve Daynes (12) 16:34. Daynes ran for Grossmont the last few years, but moved to Lakeside during the summer. He was fifth in Division II CIF race last year, which made him a state meet qualifier. He also ran the 1600 in 4:29 during track. "One day he just knocked on my door," Wilkins said. "He introduced himself and said he had moved to Lakeside and would be running for us. It was a pleasant surprise." Daynes really fills a need for the Vaqs, who return a good portion of last year's pack runners, and just needed a team leader to round out the package. He's already running well in early meets.

Returning: John Bates (12) 17:08; David Boland (12) 17:29; Tony Principe (12) 17:37; Jerrad Payne (12) 17:43; Josh Freese (12) 17:55; Jake Gregerson (12). Boland, off to a slow start this year because of injuries, ran the 3200 in 9:58 during track. El Cap was a classic "pack" team last year, taking second in Division II at CIF last year, putting seven runners across the line in an interval of 0:47 seconds. Five of those runners return, so look for more of the same, although Daynes will probably be running ahead of the group.

New: Nick Mathis (11), David Olsen (10), Bryan Hillberg (10), Chris Wycoff (11). Mathis was last year's league JV champ. Wycoff is a track athlete with times in the 52 and 2:05 range for the 400/800. Olsen is the son of former Monte Vista great Don Olsen (9:03.6 for two miles in 1967). There's enough potential talent in this group to keep the seniors working hard.

The outlook: El Cap was going to be a pretty good team before Daynes showed up. There was plenty of material left over from last year's league champs, and the tradition runs strong in Lakeside. But now Daynes has added something new to the mix, and the Vaqueros will be very tough. League rival West Hills has comparable talent, and the two will clash a number of times, including the league championships and, for the first time, in the same CIF division.

GIRLS:

Team ace: All-around athlete Stephanie Kindreich (12) 16:30, who also excels at basketball and track. Kindreich is more of a speedster in track, with a best of 2:17 in the 800, but she also can run very effectively in cross country. In past years, she has had comparable runners around her, but now, she's far and away the team's best.

Returning and new: Tiffany Fay (11) 17:21; Sandi Jenkins (10) 17:27. These two were the fourth and sixth runners for the team at CIF last year. The makeup of the pack will largely come from a new group, although a number of these runners were junior varsity last year. They include Theresa Heppler (10), Bree Hunter (10), Jessica Fay (9), Becky Day (12), and Melanie Ball (10). Ball was the league's JV 1600 champ last year in track. "It's a whole new group," Cleves said. It's early, but Heppler and Jenkins have been running well and close together in invitationals, and Hunter and Jessica Fay have also shown well. Cleves is low-keying it, but it seems to be a good group.

The outlook: It's a very young team Cleves has. And since the El Cap style is to not push for too much too soon with young girl runners, the team will mature in its own time. The league is very tough, with Santana and West Hills fielding powerhouse squads, and Grossmont is much improved. At some point, maybe even as soon as next season, El Cap will be back in the thick of things. Count on it.

Grossmont
Division: Two.
Coaches: Erl Cabanas, boys; and Shannon Singer, girls. Cabanas is assisted by Craig Dunn.
Home course: Griffen Park (boys 3.1, girls 3.1).

BOYS: 24 runners.

Best runners: Colter Bollinger (11) and Ryan Beckhelm (10) are running very close together in early meets. It's a new era for the Foothillers, with David McQuitty in college, Steve Daynes at El Capitan, and Matt Konold now playing football at Grossmont. Bollinger and Beckhelm are capable young runners, however. Both ran in the 17:20s at Laguna Hills.

Returning: Kiflom Abraha (11) 18:09.

New: Kevin Gossett (10), David Van Dyne (10, Tyson Oberndorfer (11), Kevin Larson (12), Jason Colley (12). Oberndorfer might be the team's number three now.

The outlook: "It is a very, very young team," Cabanas said. "It is a rebulding year, and I"m looking more toward the future than this season. The progress has been phenomenal, and I think we're going to be a decent team this year, but we'll be much better in 1997." One characteristic the team has already shown is the ability to close up a good pack. Check this team out in a year.

GIRLS: 35 runners.

Best runner: Sophia Hawker (12), who ran the CIF course in 16:40 in '94 as a soph. Hawker was injured last year, but is off to a flying start this year. At Vaquero, she ran a time that ranks fourth on the 11th-12th girls honor roll, or, to put it another way, three seconds slower than Sarah Schmidt ran last year in the same meet. Pretty good company.

Returning: Renee de la Torre (12) 17:27; Zoe Lieberman (12) 17:48; Jennifer Pang (12) 17:52; Rachel Kalmar (12) 18:15; Rebecca Venegas (10) 18:32. The 'Hillers return almost their entire roster intact.

New: Holley Munsey (11), Katie Olson (12), Lisa Peklar (10), Kelsey Bollinger (9). A number of the new girls will move right on up the ladder. Peklar, for instance, is already in the two spot, while Munsey might be the third runner. Bollinger was named by Singer as the team's best frosh prospect.

The outlook: Singer's new kids have shaken things up, and the coach is happy about it. "It's all up in the air now," she said. The competition within the ranks can only help energize the squad, which certainly has adequate numbers. And Hawker has developed into a real top-quality ace. Singer said, "I'm excited." Singer, a former La Jolla assistant, is in her first year at the helm of the cross country team after coaching girls track at Grossmont the last two seasons. One slight problem: the league is very tough, with West Hills and Santana both fielding great teams.

Santana
Division: Three.
Head coach: Dave Harper.
Home course: Lindo Lakes (3.1 and 2.15 miles; and Griffen Park (3.1 and 2.45 miles).

BOYS: 16 runners, may add more.

Best runner: Doug Singer (12), a 1:56 800-meter runner. "He's in the best shape he's ever been in, in the fall," said Harper. "He trained pretty consistently this summer."

This just in: Harper has added a new runner that will be a factor. The addition is Jake Bishop (12), who was one of El Cap's better runners as a soph two years ago, but who didn't run last year. He'll be a major plus at Santana.

Also returning: Scott Kaforey (10) 18:23; Nathan Snodgrass (11) 18:36; James Petitfils (10) 19:43; Mark Petitfils (11) 20:25. All are sharply improved.

Candidates: Mike Hunter (9); Matt Laubacher (12).

Much improved: Among others, Mark Petitfils had a solid summer of training. "He put in some good miles," Harper said. "There is drastic improvement." Singer, a talented track runner, is looking to become better in this sport. "His only limitation is his mental state," Harper said. Singer has indeed looked very good in early action.

Also much improved: The team in general. "We might surprise a few teams this year," said Harper.

Overall: The core of this team is still young. Last year's best runner at year's end was Kaforey, then a freshman, with Snodgrass, then a soph, close behind.

GIRLS: 14 runners, may add more.

The one-two punch: Few teams will be able to match the Sultans' up-front strength with Jaymie Harper (12) as the team ace, and Kim Pace (10) in the number two slot. Harper's credentials include an all-state placing at Fresno last year, and 5:05 and 11:05 track results. Pace came on in track to record a 5:17 for the 1600. In early action, Harper is undefeated against local runners, and she demolished the course record at the Vaquero meet. She also won big at the Baron Invite and ran well at Woodbridge.

Also returning: Kerie O'Grady (11) 17:11; Milinda Benitez (12) 17:37; Jessica Hawn (10) 18:08. Benitez had hepatitis last year after being a solid scorer as a soph. She ran well during track season, and "is looking good," according to Harper. In early meets, she is much improved and she'll be a solid scorer.

The depth: Kim Baza (11), Mary Broding (10). Both were on the bubble last year, but seem much improved. Baza made a big breakthrough at Woodbridge last week, and has joined the first five.

New: Freshmen runners Amanda Harper (9) and Ava Benitez (9) join older sisters on the team. Coach Harper thinks both will contribute by year's end. Benitez was impressive at Vaquero and Baron, but Harper will split time with club soccer.

The outlook: "Last year, we made a big step forward," Harper said. "I think we're ready to make another step up this year." The Sultans are one of the powers (along with West Hills) in the Grossmont North, and they also are one of the best teams in Division III. In fact, their team time at Vaquero (top five runners) was behind only Orange Glen and Scripps Ranch, and ahead of such teams as Vista and Valhalla.

West Hills
Division: Two.
Coaches: Pat Connolly, boys; and Larry Pear, girls.
Home course: On campus (boys 3.1, girls 3.1).

BOYS: 37 runners.

Team ace: Dustin Diaz (11) 16:40, who was CIF division III champ last year, and who ran 1:55 for 800 meters during track season. Diaz was one of the best sophs in the county last year, and he should now move to the next level. That means he will no longer be regarded as a good young runner, but as one of the area's best. He's coming off a good summer of training.

Returning: Chris Nagao (12) 17:23; Donald Overland-McKay (11) 17:31; Paul Saccone (10) 17:43; Matt Rendina (10) 17:50; Tom Corbin (12) 18:16. The Wolf-pack lost only one runner from their lineup that won the CIF Division III championship. Overland-McKay improved steadily all last season and has continued to the point where he is battling for the number two spot on the team. Last year's team had a pair of freshmen that rotated in and out of the scoring group all year: Saccone and Rendina. Watch for that pair to improve rapidly, too.

Adding depth: Mike Ficken (10), Chris Lahti (12), Evan Fox (9), Andrew Musbach (12), Noah Diaz (9), Nick Tindell (12). This group will help upgrade the team. Lahti, who is trying the sport for the first time, has already moved ahead of some of the returnees. Ficken is already running up with fellow sophs Rendina and Saccone. Fox is another super frosh who won the 9th-grade race at the Wolfpack Invite. Fellow frosh Diaz was fourth in that race (he's Dustin's brother).

Underrated: Good runners don't just show up at a school by accident. West Hills boys coach Pat Connolly might be one of the most underrated coaches in the section.

The outlook: Before the Daynes move, West Hills was penciled in as the league favorite this year. Now, they will have some good competition to look forward to, and not only for the league championship. The pair should both be major factors in CIF Division II as well, now that West Hills has moved up from Division III. West Hills hasn't been around that long, but they have already developed a tradition of turning out excellent teams. This team is going to be very good this year, and even better next year. "We have some good years ahead of us," Connolly acknowledged.

GIRLS: 20 runners.

Team ace: Heather Shurtleff (10), who, after a promising start, spent much of the XC season on the injury list. She came on in track, with times of 5:17 and 11:16, and she was fourth in the CIF 3200. She's just been destroying her opponents this year, with big wins in the Wolfpack and Bronco meets. She also had the fastest time of any local runner at Woodbridge. Her off-season included nearly 500 miles of running. "She really put in the work," Pear said. "She has the ability to run quality declining splits in a race," he said. "Her recovery is very fast, and I've never been able to totally wear her out."

Returning: Jenny Holdzkom (12) 17:10; Shelley Van Winkle (11) 17:33; Ann Webb (10) 17:58; Sarah Garcia (11) 18:14; Heather Holford (12) 17:53 at CIF as a soph. Garcia is a 2:23 800 meter runner; Holford is a sub-60 400 meter runner. Webb is also a swimmer. Best of the group in early season have been Holdzkom, Van Winkle and Garcia, running tightly packed.

New: Rebecca Bartell (9), Debbie Bell (9), Katie Gongol (11). Bartell, the younger sister of Wolfpack great Ryan Bartell, is one of the county's better frosh runners, and she's already running right up with the prime pack. Bell is also a talented frosh.

The outlook: It's clear that West Hills and Santana are on a collision course, at least as far as the league championship is concerned. The dual takes place relatively early, on Oct. 2, at Lindo Lakes, and many observers are looking forward not only to the team competition, but to the race up front between Shurtleff and Jaymie Harper, possibly the county's two most impressive runners in the early going. The Santee rivals are not in the same CIF division, however.