Jackrabbits, with 35 combined section championships in program history, chasing first Division 1 sweep since 2004; Santa Margarita seeks fifth straight Division 3 girls crown, Oaks Christian pursues both Division 4 titles for fourth time

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The most successful program in California track and field history, Long Beach Poly has won a combined 35 CIF-Southern Section team championships.

But the Jackrabbits have the potential to accomplish a feat they haven’t been able to achieve since 2004 by sweeping the Division 1 titles Saturday at El Camino College’s Murdock Stadium in Torrance, Calif.

The CIF-Southern Section championship meet is considered the deepest non-state postseason competition in the country, with eight team titles and division crowns in 128 events at stake during the eight-hour event.

Long Beach Poly has won 20 girls section championships, including eight in a row from 2008-15, in addition to the 2017 crown.

The Jackrabbits have captured 15 boys section titles, but haven’t secured a title since 2007, the last during a run of seven in a row.

Long Beach Poly has swept Division 1 championships four times from 2001-04.

Great Oak has won two of the past three Division 1 girls titles and could again stand in the way of a Long Beach Poly championship run, along with Roosevelt.

Another team with an opportunity to make history is Santa Margarita, which is seeking a fifth consecutive Division 3 girls crown.

Only Long Beach Poly, which won eight in a row in Division 1 from 2008-15, and Morningside – winner of seven straight combined titles in Division 2-A and Division 3 from 1990-96 – have longer streaks among girls’ teams in CIF-Southern Section history.

Oaks Christian could sweep the Division 4 titles for the fourth time in program history.

The Lions are seeking their fourth consecutive boys championship, becoming the first in Division 4 to achieve that streak since Serra won seven in a row from 2007-13. Crespi, which hasn’t captured a title since 2008, is Oaks Christian’s biggest challenger.

After having a run of four straight Division 4 titles halted last year by Serra, the Oaks Christian girls are seeking a fifth crown in six seasons. The Lions, who have won five boys championships in program history, have previously swept the division titles in 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Notre Dame and Harvard-Westlake are prepared for a battle to secure Division 3 boys supremacy.

Harvard-Westlake, which won its first boys crown since 1992, is the defending champion. Notre Dame has won 11 boys championships, including 2015 and 2016.

Mission Viejo is seeking its first Division 2 girls title since 2016 and second in program history.

Calabasas, which had been the favorite prior to the disqualification to a pair of athletes for both competing in five events at the Marmonte League championship meet, could still place second after three consecutive runner-up finishes in Division 3.

The most wide-open competition is in the Division 2 boys final, with Golden Valley and Newport Harbor both possessing an opportunity to capture team championships for the first time.

Ventura seeks its first title since 1999, with Mater Dei looking to capture its first crown since 2014 and Woodbridge attempting to win a third championship in five seasons after back-to-back victories in 2015-16.