THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

John Ortega’s final girls’ cross-country rankings and comments

*--* Rk School (Sec., Div.) Comment 1 Sultana (SS-Div. II) Ranked seventh in nation by Harrier magazine after winning a Southern Section Div. II title and losing the state title on a tiebreaker. 2 Ventura (SS-Div. I) Cougars were ranked 13th nationally after turning back defending champion Murrieta Valley for the Div. I titles in the section and state meets. 3 Murrieta Valley (SS-Div. I) Ranked 17th in the nation after placing second in the section and state championships. They also won the Mt. SAC team sweepstakes title. 4 C.C. Canyon (SS-Div. I) Cowboys finished third behind Ventura and Murrieta Valley in the section and state championships. 5 Ayala (SS-Div. I) Bulldogs placed fourth in state championships after a fifth-place effort in section finals. 6 Dana Hills (SS-Div. I) Dolphins finished fifth at state and sixth in section finals, edging Thousand Oaks on tiebreakers in both meets. 7 Thousand Oaks (SS-Div. I) Lancers were hampered by illnesses for much of the season, but performed well at the end. 8 Oak Park (SS-Div. IV) Eagles won their third consecutive Div. IV titles in the section and state championships. 9 Fountain Valley (SS-Div. I) Barons placed seventh at state after a fourth-place effort in the section finals. 10 Peninsula (SS-Div. I) Finished two points behind Dana Hills and Thousand Oaks in section championships.

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