Tyree Cruz had figured Ventura High's days as one of the top Division II boys' cross country teams in the state were numbered.

So it was no shock to see that the Cougars, ranked as the No. 1 overall team in the state in one preseason poll, were not listed among the Top 10 Division II programs in Southern California last week.

Not that Ventura had fallen from the graces of those weighing the strengths of long-distance running programs.

Because of adjusted enrollment figures, Ventura was upgraded to Division I.

When the dust settled, Ventura was the section's new No. 7 Division I team and found itself No. 10 on the state list.

"It was no surprise to us," said Cruz. "We just needed to make sure that the numbers were right."

In anticipation of the move, Cruz entered his team in Division I fields at events in the first 1 months of the season.

Nothing will change in the team's direction for the postseason.

"I've always said that the rankings don't matter," said Cruz. "In fact, we like to come from off the radar."

Overlooked on the eve of the 2006 CIF State Championships, Ventura placed second in the Division II final.

"Our approach has been: Are you happy with the race and your effort?" said Cruz. "That's what this team is all about."

The Cougars have been been ahead of team times that they ran last season.

At the second Channel League meet two weeks ago, Ventura cut more than two minutes off the Arroyo Verde course record.

"They've run that course since 1992 or 1993, so it was a good indicator for our team," said Cruz.

"It was a great race. Buena was only six seconds behind and it had the second fastest team time on that course."

Ventura's strength is the close time gap between its top five — and often top seven — runners. It has helped to bond team unity as the runners have equal shares of success.

That awareness was clearly evident at a freshman race last Saturday at the Mount San Antonio College Invitational.

In finishing second to Marina, Ventura's top four runners — Easton Tackett, Sean Carey, Doug Petree and Klarg Treiberg — posted top five marks on the program's all-time freshman list.

Of the 10 runners that Cruz took to the race, seven received medals for the team's second-place finish. Three of the seven also earned individual medals.

"Without me saying a thing, the kids that got double medals walked over and gave them to the three that didn't win any," said Cruz.

County meet: Thousand Oaks and Oak Park are the defending boys' and girls' team champions, respectively, for the Ventura County Championships at Lake Casitas.

The varsity girls' race starts at Friday at 4:25 p.m., followed the boys' final at 5 p.m.

Thousand Oaks held some of its top guns out of last Saturday's Mount SAC race, while The Star's No. 1 ranked boys' team, Royal, placed ninth in the Super Sweepstakes race.

Not to be overlooked in the boys' race are Oak Park, ranked No. 2 in the state in Division III, Camarillo, Westlake, Simi Valley and Oaks Christian.

Looking for its third straight county girls' team title, Oak Park is ranked No. 4 in the state. The Eagles could be pressed by La Reina, Royal, Thousand Oaks, Agoura, La Reina, Ventura and Oaks Christian.