ARC Men, Hartnell Women Win NorCal Preview Meet
The #1 ranked American River College men's cross country team lived up to the billing as it won the NorCal Preview meet at Toro Park Friday. #5 Hartnell finished in a close 2nd place, just 10 seconds a man back. ARC's average top 5 time of 20:59 was just 10 seconds per man in front of Hartnell's 21:09. The overall winner of the day was ARC's Sean Gregg, who covered the 4.0 miles in 20:38. He was followed closely by Hartnell freshman Edgar Bonilla in 20:42, ARC's Abdul Hamid (20:54), and
ARC's Ross Walker (20:58). Rounding out the top 7 were Hartnell's Jorge Sanchez (21:00) and Rene Sisqueros (21:01), and ARC's Donald Plazola (21:05). The two teams will not face off again until the NorCal Championships at Hartnell's home course on Friday, November 6th.
For the first time since 2005, Toro Park will be the host site of the Northern California Cross Country Championship. In 2005, the men's team won the first of two consecutive regional titles with the women placing a close second for two consecutive years. It has been nine years since the last regional title for the Panther men but the women are the defending champions. On Friday, both teams ran to their rankings with the women victorious and the men placing second.
Sophomore Malena Grover has been chasing top regional runner Jenica Dodge of American River College through two previous meetings as both placed in the same order as previous encounters. Dodge was the overall winner in 18:38 with Grover second at 18:51, the closest she's had all season to Dodge. SophomoreRachel Shimabukuro ran a lifetime best 19:25 to place fifth overall. Shimabukuro's time is the seventh best in school history. Lizette Garcia(20:01) and Yessika Mayo (20:05) also placed inside the top ten in eighth and ninth overall. The lady Panthers placed eight total runners in the top 20 with Yvette Felix (20:39), Adriana Jimenez (20:39), Maria Rodriguez (20:50) and Nancy Rodriguez (20:54). The Lady Panthers scored 35 points to win the overall title with College of the Sequoias in second with 84 points and third place American River College with 110 points.
For over five consecutive years, the men's team from American River College has been ranked at the top of the regional rankings. In this close team battle, the Panther men were unable to unseat the Beavers but did close the gap across the first seven finishing runners. Frosh Edgar Bonillanarrowly missed the individual win placing second in 20:42 to Sean Gregg of American River College at 20:38. After two more American River College runners, freshman Jorge Sanchez (21:00) and sophomore Rene Siqueiros (21:01) crossed the line in fifth and sixth overall. It was an all American River and Hartnell through the first seven runners until Jason Intravaia from Las Positas in eighth broke up the two team battle. Freshman Angel Mejia(21:32) placed eleventh and Diego Avila (21:33) fourteenth to round out the scoring Panthers. Also running well were Oscar Mora (21:39) and Tito Chaidez (21:39). American River College was victorious with 25 points to host Hartnell College at 38 points. Las Positas College won a third place tie with College of the Sequoias as both teams scored 137 points.
The 2015 CCCAA Northern California Regional Championship will be held on Friday, November 6. The Panthers will make their annual trip to the historic Mt. SAC Invitational, the oldest cross country race in California.