Woodbridge Classic entries have been finalized

Royal of Simi Valley and Saugus are the only local programs among a 23-team field for Saturday night's boys' sweepstakes race at the 28th annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Irvine.

Royal, currently unranked in Southern Section Div. I because of an injury to top runner Travis Edwards, will test itself against a deep field that features eight of the top 10 teams in Div. I, minus No. 1 Dana Hills of Dana Point and No. 6 Rancho Cucamonga.

Saugus, No. 4 in Div. II, is the highest-ranked team from its division competing in the sweepstakes race.

Among the 19 individuals competing in the 9:35 p.m. race, leading the way is Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta senior Zack Torres. El Camino Real of Woodland Hills' Brett Schmitt, Flintridge Prep of La Canada Flintridge's Connor Verreaux, Lancaster's Pedro Zaragoza and Oaks Christian of Westlake Village's Charlie Petrie are also scheduled to run.

Saugus, the two-time girls' sweepstakes champion and fastest group in meet history, will try to become the first program since Murrieta Valley (2001-03) to win three in a row when the Centurions headline a 22-team field at 9:15 p.m.

Saugus, which elevated Tuesday to No. 1 nationally in the Mile Split rankings, will be joined by local squads Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta -- No. 6 in Div. I -- and Simi Valley, fifth in Div. II.

No area runners are among the 17 individuals invited to compete in the race.

Saugus will also attempt to win the girls' varsity rated race at 8:40 p.m. with its "B" team, something it did in April with its 4 x mile "B" relay at the Arcadia Invitational. Royal is also scheduled to run in the 22-team field.

In the boys' varsity rated race at 8:55 p.m., Birmingham of Lake Balboa, Simi Valley, Valencia and Westlake are all scheduled to compete in the 29-team field.