The men's and women's cross country team continue to impress with another successful showing at the Michael Johnson Classic in Monmouth, Oregon and the SD City Coach Downey Classic in San Diego, CA.
In Oregon, the men's team finished second behind College of Idaho. All seven SD Mesa runners placed in the top 20 and the women's team finished fourth with two runners finishing in the top 15.
In the men's 8K, Juan Rosales finished in first place with a time of 24:37.8. David Millan 24:57.9. Bryce Kueker 25:10.7. Jesus Villarreal 25:13.7. Alan Jimenez 25:27.8 and Devin Provence rounded out the top 14 with a 25:32.1. In the women's 6K, Mohussin Abakan finished in 11th place at 22:49.5 and Kyana Cook 13th with 23:06.7.
This is the second straight competition where Millan, Rosales, Provence, and Villarreal finished in the top 6, having done so at the Seawolf Invitational in Woodward Park.
WOMEN'S RACE
They say there is no such thing as a perfect race, however, the men's team did just that at the annual SD City Coach Downey Classic in San Diego, CA. First-year Jyden Schmid (21:07.6) set a course record and led an Olympian clean sweep of the first 6 individual finishes on the 4 mile course leading to a perfect team score. Schmid was followed by Victor Rosas 21:18.4, 3. Jake Beckwith 21:40.2, 4. Joseph DePascale 21:55.5, 5. Joey Acosta 22:00.3, and 6. Jude Gioliotto 22:04.8.
NEXT UP:
San Diego Mesa College will host the Manny Bautista Cross Country Invite on Friday, October 7, 2022. During his 14 year coaching career at Mesa College Bautista's teams won 4 State Championships. His 1994 Women's State Cross Country Championship team was the first Women's State Championship team in school history. The 1998 Women's State Championship in Track and Field Team remains the only State Track and Field team in school history to win a state championship. Bautista's 2000-2001 Men's State Cross Country Teams were voted the number one community college team in the nation. Upon his retirement in 2002 Bautista had been voted California Community College "Coach of the Year" four times.
The event will be held at NTC Park (Liberty Station) The course is known to be fast, flat, mostly grass, and dirt trails.
FUN FACT:
Both course records are currently held by two former SD Mesa Olympians. Women's 5K Yahaira Zuniga 18:44 (2021)
Men's 4 mile Jonathan Kelly 20:05.5 (2021)
OFFICIAL RESULTS:
Michael Johnson Classic
https://live.athletictiming.net/meets/18368
Coach Downey Invite
https://www.tfrrs.org/results/xc/19815/2022_Coach_Downey_XC_Classic_