For the first time in 30 years, SBCC will be sending men’s and women’s teams to the State Championships in cross country.
Sophomore Cecilia Instebo placed second for the fifth straight meet, leading the Vaquero women to 7th place in the 28-team field at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa. She covered the 5K course in a season-best 18:27, just 18 seconds behind the winner, Grace Graham-Zamudio of Glendale.
Instebo shaved 1:27 off her personal best this year.
Orange Coast won the team title with 53 points, followed by Glendale (105) and Moorpark (130). SBCC was seventh with 226 points.
Emily Bernath took 39th in 20:02 in the 205-runner field and Nicole Bartlett (20:12) was 47th for SBCC.
“We ran aggressively and we ran a great race,” said coach Scott Fickerson. “We’ve been pointing for the State Championships all year and now we made it. All our hard work and training has paid off.”
The State Championships will be held Nov. 17 at Woodward Park in Fresno.
SBCC’s men placed 12th with 360 points and the top 14 teams advanced to state. Ian Roberts was 27th in the 4-mile race in a season-best 20:54 and Omar Padilla-Lopez was 53rd out of 195 runners in 21:26.
Omar Cortez of L.A. Trade Tech was the men’s winner in 19:48.
San Bernardino Valley took the team title, edging Cerritos 95-97. SBCC was 12th with 360 points.
“We ran great,” said Fickerson. “We were the second-place WSC team behind Glendale (after finishing 4th in the WSC Championships). Every runner improved their season best by 1 to 2 minutes.
“We ran aggressively and executed very well in the second half of the race. I’m very pleased that both teams made the State meet.”
So Cal Championships
Women
Team (28 schools, top 14 advance) — 1, Orange Coast 53. 2, Glendale 105. 3, Moorpark 130. 7, SBCC 226.
Individual (5K) — 1, Grace Graham-Zamudio, Glendale, 18:09. 2, Cecilia Instebo, SBCC, 18:27. Other SBCC results — 39, Emily Bernath 20:02. 47, Nicole Bartlett 20:12. 69, Sara Smith 20:49. 77, Dean Roell 20:59. 95, Mia Owns 21:21. 127, Sarah Gonzalez 22:04.
Men
Team (28 schools, top 14 advance) — 1, Orange Coast 95. 2, Cerritos 97. 3, Riverside 106. 12, SBCC 360.
Individual (4 miles) — 1, Omar Cortez, L.A. Trade Tech, 19:48. SBCC results — 27, Ian Roberts 20:54. 53, Omar Padilla-Lopez 21:26. 66, Marcial Ordaz 21:46. 82, Nery Gonzalez 22:00. 134, Jamison Leighton 23:02. 143, Andy Hernandez 23:18
