It's not often that freshmen have an immediate impact on large schools boys' cross country team.

Camarillo's Hayden Wooff has been an exception.

Wooff has been the Scorpions' No. 1 runner through the first month of the season.

Last Saturday, he placed ninth at the Staub/Barnes Invitational at Crescenta Valley, completing the three-mile course in 16 minutes, 51 seconds.

"He is as good a freshman as we have had in a number of years," said Mike Smith, who is coaching in his 26th season at Camarillo.

"Hayden is everything you look for in a runner. He's extremely competitive and not intimidated about being in varsity races. There aren't many freshmen as fast as him."

Wooff made an impression on Camarillo coaches in the opening weeks of the program's summer training, keeping right up with the veteran runners.

Marmonte: One team could emerge as the Marmonte boys' team champion Thursday when section Division I ranked Royal (3-0) and Thousand Oaks (3-0) travel to Westlake (2-1) for a double dual.

"This is not one of those train-through-it meets," said Royal coach Ryan Luce.

"Our kids know that this is one of those races that we need to do the very best that we can."

Royal and Thousand Oaks have butted heads twice. Thousand Oaks finished ahead at Woodbridge three weeks ago, while Royal had the edge at the Pepperdine Invitational in Malibu two weeks ago. Westlake has six runners returning from its team that made the Division II section finals last year.

Setting the pace for Royal are Alex Routh, Travis Edwards and Otto Cipolla. Thousand Oaks will lean on Sean Gildea, Kevin Joerger and Andrew Snyder. Brandin Williamson and Garret Drogosh are Westlake's top guns.

"The fourth, fifth and maybe the sixth runners could come into play," said Luce.

Fitting into Royal's fifth man role has been Scott Sobel.

"He didn't break five minutes in the mile as a junior," said Luce. "He broke 16 minutes at Woodbridge, which is awesome. He has proven himself three times."

Deep team: Three of Oak Park's top seven times in the first Tri-Valley League girls' cluster meet were turned in by JV runners.

McCullough would have been Oak Park's No. 4 runner behind Courtney Lightfoot, Melissa Skiba and Marissa Diehl.

Senior Kirsten Jackson, a veteran of Oak Park postseason runs, had the fifth fastest time, while No. 3 JV runner Jessica Reints, was seventh on the team's best times list of the day.

On the right path: At the Staub-Barnes Invitational on Saturday, the first four runners for the Moorpark girls' team had a 38-second time gap: Madelyn Stoltze (20:16), Heather Wicks (20:45), Taylor Davis (20:53) and Torrie Marschik (20:54). ... Agoura has jumped out to a 4-0 start in the Marmonte League girls' standings. The Chargers beat Westlake and Calabasas last week. ... Camarillo's Cassie Brooker had the seventh fastest girls' time (19:20) of the day at the Staub-Barnes Invitational.