As the Simi Valley High girls cross country team was being crowned CIF champions on Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College, the Saugus girls were finishing up their cool down jog.

It’s been a while since seven-time defending state champion Saugus was completely left out of an award’s ceremony at a major race like the CIF Southern Section finals.

The last time was 2004, when the team took 10th and failed to qualify for the state finals. That was long before the Saugus cross country legend began.

Now, it seems like the state champion streak is hanging from a thread.

The Centurions placed sixth place in the Division II race on Saturday, which was just good enough to make it to the CIF State Cross Country Championships this Saturday in Fresno.