Boys’ Cross-Country at a Glance

Top runners: Tim Allen, El Modena, Sr.; Jose Alvarado, Saddleback, Sr.; Tyler Beardslee, Corona del Mar, Sr.; Martin Brix, University, Jr.; Ryan Downey, St. Margaret’s, Jr.; Manuel Estrada, Santa Ana Valley, Sr.; Dan Gaston, Huntington Beach, Sr.; Mark Gleason, Mission Viejo, Jr.; Leo Gordillo, Tustin, So.; Bruce Hancock, Costa Mesa, So.; Jon Jeffrey, Woodbridge, Sr.; Danny Lee, El Toro, Jr.; C.J. Marciales, Tustin, Jr.; Patricio Mejia, Anaheim, Sr.; Michael Murray, Santa Margarita, Sr.; Qadeer Noorzai, Garden Grove, Sr.; Lionel Perez, Capistrano Valley, Jr.; Raul Quinonez, Santa Ana, Sr.; Nick Russell, Orange, Sr.; Juan Salgado, Santa Ana, So.; Daniel Smith, Tustin, Sr.; Tony Trueba, Huntington Beach, Sr.; Mike Zepeda, Mater Dei, Sr.

League favorites: Arrowhead: Riverside Sherman Indian; Century: El Modena; Empire: Katella; Freeway: Sunny Hills; Garden Grove: Santiago; Golden West: Tustin; Olympic: Orange Lutheran; Orange: Anaheim; Pacific Coast: Costa Mesa; Prep: La Canada Flintridge Prep; Sea View: Santa Margarita; South Coast: Mater Dei; Sunset: Huntington Beach.

1995 final poll: 1. Huntington Beach; 2. Tustin; 3. Santa Ana; 4. Orange; 5. Edison; 6. Saddleback; 7. Katella; 8. Santa Margarita; 9. Santa Ana Valley; 10. El Modena.

1996 preseason poll: 1. Tustin; 2. Santa Ana; 3. Huntington Beach; 4. Santa Margarita; 5. El Modena; 6. Santa Ana Valley; 7. Saddleback; 8. Corona del Mar; 9. El Toro; 10. Anaheim.

Key dates: Laguna Hills Invitational, Sept. 14; Woodbridge Invitational, Sept. 21; Dana Hills Invitational, Sept. 28; Brea Olinda Invitational, Oct. 5; Central Park Invitational, Oct. 12; Orange County Championships, Oct. 19; Mt. San Antonio Invitational, Oct. 26; Southern Section preliminaries, Nov. 9; Southern Section finals, Nov. 16; State Meet, Nov. 23; Foot Locker Western Regional, Nov. 30; Foot Locker National Championships, Dec. 7.

Notes: Sunny Hills is again the favorite in the Freeway League, but look for Buena Park and La Habra to give the Lancers a battle. . . . Orange, El Modena and Santa Ana Valley should wage an epic showdown for the Century League title. . . . A young Newport Harbor team showed signs of what is to come with a surprise fourth-place finish at the Sea View League finals last year. . . . Junior Ryan Downey, a state meet qualifier in Division IV last year, leads St. Margaret’s. . . . A Sept. 26 tri-meet featuring Tustin, Santa Ana and Saddleback could be the county’s best this season. . . . Anaheim holds the edge over Brea Olinda in the close Orange League race. . . . Mater Dei, Mission Viejo and Capistrano Valley should clash in the run for the South Coast League crown.