Saucony Flo50 Pre-Season Girls XC Team Rankings Countdown

The super deep California super power returns five runners from last year's D1 state championship squad looks primed to win their fifth straight state title! After two seasons on the NXN podium stand, including a third-place run in 2015, the Wolfpack hopes to win their first national title. Five consistent scorers return from last year's squad in Nicole Rice, Evelyn Mandel, Sandra Pflughoft, Kiyenna Beatty and Sydney Belus. The nation's most stacked team ranks No. 1 in the nation by 5K time, three mile time, 2016 3200m times and 2016 1600m times. This is a fast squad!

Probable Top Five

Nicole Rice SR - 10th at CIF state XC meet, 72nd at NXN, 17:46.7 5K XC PB, 17:23.7 3 mile XC PB, 10:45.02 3200m PB, 4:57.86 1600m

Evelyn Mandel SR - 22nd at CIF state XC meet, 75th at NXN, 17:56.3 5K XC PB, 16:54.6 3 mile XC PB, 10:47.85 3200m PB, 4:55.79 1600m PB

Sandra Pflughoft JR - 15th at CIF state XC meet, 84th at NXN, 18:00.5 5K XC PB, 17:05.7 3 mile XC PB, 10:48.46 3200m PB, 5:05.81 1600m PB

Kiyena Beatty SR - 17th at CIF state XC meet, 107th at NXN, 17:59.82 5K XC PB, 17:03 3 mile XC PB, 10:36.2 3200m PB, 4:56.21 1600m PB

Sydney Belus SR - 20th at CIF state XC meet, 97th at NXN, 18:12.5 5K XC PB, 17:08.3 3 mile XC PB, 10:42.76 3200m PB, 4:50.26 1600m

Great Oak girls after finishing third at NXN in 2015.

Q&A with head coach Doug Soles 

How long have you coached at Great Oak?
This will be my 13^th year at Great Oak and I've been there since we opened in 2004.

What is your meet schedule this fall?
We will focus on the big 4 invites in California: Woodbridge, Stanford, Clovis, Mt. SAC.

How has summer training gone for your team? What do you focus on during the summer months?
This year we haven't been able to do a lot compared to year's past as most of our top athletes went to NBNO in track and after a 2 week break they only trained for a week before XC started.  So we are basically focusing on getting in shape and our base phase will be pretty late this year as we continue to get in shape.

Which athletes do you see as the probable top five this season?
We have 5 girls returning that have shown they can run at the elite level week in and week out in Sydney Belus, Sandra Pflughoft, Nicole Rice, Evelyn Mandel, and Kiyena Beatty. Assuming they are all healthy and fit they should form a very formidable top 5.

Who are your team captains or leaders and what stands out about them as examples for the rest of their teammates?
Ericka Burgess - 11, Sandra Pflughoft - 11, Evelyn Mandel - 12, Sydney Belus - 12, Kiyena Beatty - 12, Nicole Rice - 12, Michelle McIntosh - 12, Cassidy Hylton - 12

We have 8 young ladies leading the way this year and with such a strong senior team this year I would believe we will do well. These are athletes that have bought 100% into the program, show up every day, lead by example, and won't hesitate to let someone know they aren't doing the right things in any given situation. Kiyena Beatty has been on the line for us the previous 3 seasons and could get her 4^th state meet ring this year, which is a pretty amazing feat to do at the D1 level in California.

Who are some new faces who will make an impact on your team this year? (i.e. freshmen, transfers, runners who have improved a lot)
We have some very good freshmen girls this year that will help our varsity. Audrey Dang looks like she will challenge for a top 7 spot at the beginning of the season and Devin Ito isn't far behind her. Aubrie Nex and Arriana Griffiths will also be top end varsity 9^th grade girls for us this year and should allow for me to rest some of the older girls as needed throughout the season.

What are some staple workouts your team does during the season?
This year we will spend a lot more time focusing on our hill sprints. We do 10x60m hill sprints each week focusing on strength and speed and they help a lot for Mt. SAC and Woodward park.

What will be the biggest reason why your team is successful this season?
I think we always have a varsity team in the wings waiting and prepared so that graduations don't affect us as much as they do other teams. I think these girls have the focus and experience to reach the podium at NXN as well as win our 5^th state title in a row.

What will be the biggest obstacle or challenge facing your team this season?
I think just getting a much later start to the season has put us out of our comfort zone and we might take a few more lumps during the regular season than we normally do. How they rise to those challenges will determine how well they finish the season.  Talent won't be an issue, so coming together as a team and rallying around the day to day grind will be key for these ladies.

How would you describe your team's culture?
The focus of our culture is winning. I think most coaches put that down the list, but that really is what we are built around. I ask the kids for 3 things every day; 1. Be at practice, 2. Have a positive attitude, 3. Do what you are asked to do.  The athletes that do those things help us build a culture of success.

What are your top three goals for the team this fall?
The girls set some high goals for themselves this fall! Goal number one is to win the state championship. Goal two is to win the NXN championship. Goal three is to focus on team bonding and to be the best bonded team in the country by the time we get to state.

Who feels more pressure this year: the boys, who are defending national champions, or the girls, who took third behind fellow Californians Davis last year?
I think the girls are a bit more talented than they boys are this year so the pressure is on them to deliver an NXN title which hasn't been an easy task after podiums finishes the last couple seasons.  The changing of the course at NXN has evened the playing field a lot and given us a chance to show what we can really do on a real xc course.  I think if the NXN committee will make the event a 9-12 grade championship we would definitely have a great shot at winning a girl's title. Until that happens New York will continue to have such a big advantage I don't see anyone else winning it.

Great Oak talks after placing third at NXN in 2015.