Hartnell's Leon Sets Record at Toro Park
Hartnell College has only had one cross country state champion in its history. Daniel Tapia was able to accomplish the challenging feat in 2009 and along the way he set several Hartnell College course records including one at Toro Park. Sophomore Diego Leon is working his way toward becoming the second ever state champion and finally notched his first school record over the same trails he ran to win a CCS Division V title as a senior at Anzar High School. Leon covered the four mile course in 20:16 besting the former Hartnell record held by Cristian Soratos by 14 seconds. He finished 38 seconds ahead of runner-up finisher Cristian Nazarek of Santa Rosa Junior College. Leon's time is also the second fastest ever run by a community college athlete at Toro Park. He trails only 2005 State and Norcal champion Oscar Uribe of Butte College. Sophomore Justin Carrancho was third in 21:03 and freshman Rene Siqueiros in fifth at 21:27. Luis Vargas (21:46) in tenth and Jesus Vazquez (21:55) in thirteenth completed the scoring for the Panthers. Andrews Gutierrez (22:05) and Diego Avila (22:10) also competed well. As a team, the Panthers bested Socal tenth ranked LA Trade Tech 32 to 49.
Freshman Malena Grover stepped up for the Lady Panthers taking second overall in 18:58. Grover, who prepped at Salinas High School, went under the 19 minute mark for the first time in her career and moves the freshman to the second fastest time ever by a Lady Panther behind Kathy Lenno's 18:26 in 1999. Lenno went on to set the 10,000 meter school record. Freshman Rachel Shimabukuro took seventh (19:43), Brandi Hobson (20:13) in thirteenth, and Nancy Rodriguez (20:17) fifteenth, and Maria Rodriguez (20:28) in nineteenth to finish the scoring five. Also running well was Cynthia Tovar (20:38). The Lady Panthers came up just short of the win placing second to LA Trade Tech 41 to 46. LA Trade Tech and Hartnell share the sixth place state ranking.