Empires state meet preview

State Meet Qualifiers
The Redwood Empire is sending 28 boys and 19 girls to the 2018 California State Meet.

Division I Boys Race 8:30 a.m.
Now that schools can not move to higher divisions we have no schools eligible for this division.
Empire best here is 10th Steve Guerrini, Santa Rosa 1990.

Division II Boys Race 9:00 a.m.
This will be Vintage’s first year at state from the NCS.
They qualified two runners senior Manny Guzman who placed 4th at NCS and could battle for a top ten spot and Dylan Frye who placed 14th and is only a junior.
Ukiah’s Ryan Mack won this race in 1998.

Division I Girls Race 9:30 a.m.
Now that schools can not move to higher divisions we have no schools eligible for this division but have had many champions in the past.
1st Julia Stamps, Santa Rosa 1994-96, course record 16:43 1996
1st Trina Cox, Santa Rosa 1997
1st Amber Trotter, Ukiah 2001

Division II Girls Race 10:00 a.m.
Like the boys this will be Vintage’s first year at state from the NCS.
Their team placed 4th at NCS lead by the 3rd place finish of Mary Deeik.
Deeik, only as sophomore, will also be in the hunt for an individual top ten finish.
Past State Champions in this division
1st Sara Bei, Montgomery 1999 & 2000
1st Jacque Taylor, Casa Grande 2009
1st Montgomery 2000

Division III Boys Race 10:30 a.m.
Maria Carrillo has had amazing success in cross country.
Their boys team has been to state five times in this division and another seven times in division II.
This year is their eight straight trip to Fresno.
This years team may be the best ever. In 2007 they placed 7th here and it is looking very good that the 2018 team will surpass that.
Last years team placed tenth and is lead by two of last years members in Colton Swinth and Rory Smail. Swinth was 4th at NCS this year and 60th at State last year. Smail was 5th at NCS this year and 67th at State last year.
Joining Carrillo in this race will be Windsor’s Lucas Chung who last year was 46th at State but this year looks like he may be as close to the podium top as possible. At NCS he forced the top returning runner in the NATION to have to over take him in the final stretch of the race.
Windsor’s best ever state finish is by Emmanuel Vasquez (34th V 1997).
Elsie Allen’s Celedonio Rodriquez won this race in 1998.

Division IV Girls Race 11:00 a.m.
This was one of the races that was cancelled at NCS and the committee picking advancers did not pick an from the Redwood Empire.
Past State Champions in this division
1st Sarah Sumpter, Healdsburg 2007

Division V Boys Race 11:30 p.m.
Another race that was picked by a committee.
Rincon Valley Christian was advanced and has been a top ten ranked team most of the year.
RVC has never had a boys team qualify before and their best individual finish was by Chris Geyer (20th V 1997).

Andre Williams is hoping that third is a charm.
Williams is a legitament contender to be our first ever state champion in this division.
St. Helena’s Brian Cole was 2nd in 2006.
Williams competed in 2016 at state for Kelseyville and then had Sonoma Academy’s best ever finish at 4th last year.
The Committee also choice three other locals, all of whom hope to better their schools all-time best.
Healdsburg’s Jack Vanden Heuval will try and better Hector Delgado, 28th 1992.
Cloverdale’s Paden Collard will be his schools second ever qualifier behind Joe Carrillo, 15th 2011.
Technology’s Aidan Barker will be his schools first ever boys entry.

Division III Girls Race 12:00 p.m.
Another race that was picked by a committee.
Like the boys team Maria Carrillo girls are well acquainted with the state meet, just check out their past placings.
2nd II ’04, 3rd III ’06 & ’08, 4th III ’07, 5th II ’01, 6th III ’17, 7th II ’05, 8th III ’00, 12th III ’11, 14th III ’16, 15th II ’02-’03 & ’13, 17th II ’12 & ’14, 20th II ’15
Last years team placed 6th and this years is looking for a top ten again.
Aimee Armstrong is the top returner from the 2017 and placed 14th at state last year.
When Lucas finishes his last state meet the Chung family is far from finished as his freshman sister Lilga Chung will be making her debut here. Lilga has a good chance of bettering her schools record place of Laura Rogina 61st III ’05 in her first try.
Montgomery’s Leah Haley was not picked by the unknown committee but anyone who has watched her season knows she belongs here and a protest by the Vikings corrected that mistake. Watch for her to prove just how much she deserved to be here.
Past State Champions in this division
1st Sara Bei, Montgomery 1997 & 1998

Division IV Boys Race 12:30 p.m.
Another race that was picked by a committee.
Piner boys are another program with a strong history at state. Their best years were when they were in division III but even in this division they have been in the top 20 four times between 2012 and 2017.
The 2018 team is lead by a member of that 2017 team in Nathan Hayes.
Empire best here is 4th Mike Perez, Lower Lake 2005.

Division V Girls Race 1:00 p.m.
Another race that was picked by a committee.
All year predictions have had Healdsburg’s Gabrielle Peterson as one of the state favorites, funny the official state preview had no mention of her, but we all have high hopes to see her try and earn the Empire it’s fourth state champion here in five years.
Sarah Sumpter won division IV in 2007 but in this division Peterson will be shooting to take down her coaches school record of 3rd Kelly Rogers 2000.
Dylan Hutchinson will be Fort Bragg’s first qualifier since Alexandra Sciocchetti 50th IV 2011.
Brooklyn Huffman will be Middletown’s first qualifier since Julia Malvino IV 132nd 2005.
Past State Champions in this division
1st Rylee Bowen, Sonoma Academy 2014, 2015 & 2017