FRESNO - Given the successful 2023 seasons of top Northern and Southern California teams so far, the race for the crowns will undoubtedly be close and exciting.
It will all be settled on Saturday, November 18 at Fresno’s Woodward Park when a starting gun sounds for the women’s 46th California Community College Athletic Association Championships and the men’s 59th 3C2A Championships. Race times are 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. respectively.
In the Southern California Regionals, Mount San Antonio’s men nipped runner-up San Diego Mesa 40-43 over the 4 miles on November 3 at El Dorado Park in Long Beach. Mesa’s Jyden Schmidt (19:09.4), who was 24th in last year’s state meet, won that regional just 6.3 seconds ahead of the Mounties' Jonathan Zavala (19:15.7). Zavala’s teammates Matthew Donis (4th), Jordan Galindo (6th), Christian DeLoye (11th) and Joel Fisher (17th) completed the team scoring for Mt. SAC.
In the women’s 3.1 mile race, Mesa’s women placed four runners in the top 15 scoring slots to defeat Mt. SAC, 68-91. The Olympians were led by individual SoCal champion Alexis Noble (17:44.6). Teammates Joelle Torre, Sophie Moser-Smith and Kyana Cook finished 11th, 13th and 15th. Madison Decker was 28th to complete the victory.
Meanwhile, in the Northern California Regional at Hidden Valley Park in Martinez, also on November 3, the Clovis Community College women’s and men’s teams repeated as NorCal champs by defeating perennial power Hartnell’s teams. Score it 40-62 for the Crush women and 89-93 for the men.
The CCC women prevailed despite Hartnell’s Andrea Villegas (18:20.7) and Roselyn Olivio (18:39.0) finishing 1-2. Clovis freshman Rhiannon Walker (18:47.6) was third followed by sophomore teammate Julia Martinez (18:53.4). Three Clovis freshmen completed the win: Alyana Beams (7th), Milca Martin ez (12th) and Lisbeth Mendez (14th). It appears Clovis coach and tournament director CJ Albertson is building for a long-running future. Any doubts? He’s finished 10th and 11th in recent Boston Marathons.
Clovis freshman Aron Teffra (22:18.9) finished seventh to lead the Crush. It was a close race in which only six points separated the top three teams. Perennial contender American River was third at 95. New coach Garrett Seawell, who was ARC’s 2011 individual state champ, led a team win and set a then course record at 19:53. He has done well taking the baton from retired mentor Rick Anderson who guided the Beavers to five state championships. Ironically, Albertson was an Arizona State teammate of Seawell.
“On the men’s side, several individuals will be competing for the state title and the course record in the process. Matthew Donis (Mt. SAC) will look to avenge his loss to SoCal champ Jyden Schmidt (SD Mesa). Also in contention should be Jonathan Zavala (Mt. SAC), Victor Rosas (SD Mesa) and Ernesto Ruiz (Riverside), Joining them up front should be NorCal champion Johnny Sandoval (San Joaquin Delta), Mateo Delgadillo (ARC), Antoine Moret (De Anza) and Daniel Gonzales (SJ Delta),” said Albertson.
“The men’s team race will likely be a rematch from last year between Mt. SAC and San Diego Mesa. Bakersfield looks strong as the third-ranked team with Riverside and NorCal champ Clovis. The women’s race is Mesa versus Mt. SAC. Riverside, Clovis and Glendale for third,” he added.
Hartnell’s Andrea Villegas is undefeated against community college competition. She’ll be competing against Alexis Noble and other top five from the SoCal Regional,” Alberston concluded.
As meet director, Albertson had praise for the Fresno venue. “The Woodward Park course is running fast and conditions could lead to one of the fastest 3C2A state meets in history on the men’s side. Light, mid-week rain should turn the already packed down course into a race track with race time temperatures around 60 degrees,” he said..
If Albertson is prophetic, strides on the grassy, final 200 yards to the finish line at Woodward Park should be quite a show on Saturday morning!.
(Woody Wilk, CCCSIA)