Boys - by Rich Gonzalez. Top three favorites are 2002 finalists Galen Rupp and Mohamed Trafeh, plus Kenyan import Shadrack Kiptoo, but many more runners will contend in the "most wide open West regional in ages." Other top contenders to qualify for San Diego are California and Mt. SAC champion Mark Matusak, David Kinsella WA, Charles Hampton AZ, Troy Swier CA, Stuart Eagon OR, and Mead WA stars Evan Garber and Laef Barnes. DyeStat visitors on theTrackTalk California message board are giving strongest and almost equal support to Mohamed Trafeh, Shadrack Kiptoo, Galen Rupp, and Mark Matusak. 

Girls - by Mike Kennedy. Defending national champion Zoe (the zephyr) Nelson of Montana is back and undefeated again, but it is not an open and shut case with the late season emergence of California state meet sensation Caitlin Chock, the Lawrence sisters of Reno, and others such as Katie Leary OR, Rachel Bryan CA, Los Alamos stars Heather Wood and Kristen Hemphill, Utah champion Kit Zeigle, 2002 finalist Heidi Magill, and undefeated Wyoming state champion Sarah Balfour WY. DyeStat visitors on the TrackTalk California message board are giving strongest support to Zoe Nelson, Caitlin Chock, the Lawrence sisters, Rachel Bryan, and Liza Pasciuto. Zoe Nelson's Flathead Kalispell MT high school is sending 16 runners to the West regional. Coach Paul Jorgensen tells local newspaper, that Zoe Nelson is "in as good shape as she's ever been."