CCS cross country

Central Coast Section Divisional Championships
Saturday's finals, 9 a.m.
At Toro Park (3.01 miles)
 It's difficult to defend a title when you've been placed in a different division.
 That does not mean Greenfield won't be chasing another section boys title Saturday in the Division III cross country finals.
 The reigning three-time Mission Trail Athletic League champions have run as a pack all season, as evident by four of their runners finishing in the top 10 at the league finals.
 The Bruins have familiarity with the course as well, having run at Toro Park twice in the last two weeks.
 Four of Greenfield's seven runners from last year's CCS Division IV title team are back, including Rigo Garcia and Julian Arias.
 With Greenfield in a different division, Pacific Grove and Palma will put their names in the hat for team contention. Last year the Breakers finished third as a team, advancing to state.
 The core of that team is back, starting with Will Stefanou and Henry Loh, who finished 1-2 at the MTAL finals eight days ago. It is the hope that Jake Alt will be back for the section finals.
 Palma distance ace and Gabilan Division champion Sam Lavorato will be the favorite in the Division IV finals, having finished second last year.
 Lavorato hopes to pull teammate Tommy Padilla along with him. Padilla has qualified for the state meet two straight years as an individual.
 Don't discount Marina's Christopher Plascencia, who won the Coastal Athletic League title, beating everyone from the MTAL as well.
 Gabilan Division team champion Alisal will chase a spot in Division I behind Peter Maciel.
 MTAL girls champion Carmel missed qualifying for the state meet last year in Division IV by two spots. It's much deeper this year behind freshman Rachel Suess and Colleen Lang.
 Angela Leavitt will look for a return trip to the state meet in Division V for Notre Dame. Last year as a freshman, she was fourth in the section.
 A sleeper in Division I is North Salinas sophomore Elizabeth Padilla while North County's surge in the second half of the season makes them a darkhorse in Division III.