Canyons golfer, Sequoias harrier named November's top athletes by the CCCSIA
PASADENA - College of the Canyons golfer Haruka Koda and College of the Sequoias runner Ismael Ramirez were as good as they get in being selected as the California Community College Sports Information Association Women's and Men's Athletes of the Month for November.
WOMEN
Haruka Koda | College of the Canyons | Golf | Sophomore
Koda, from Miyoshi City, Japan, fired a 2-under par first round 70 on her way to winning state medalist while helping Canyons win the 2019 CCCAA Women's Golf state title at Morro Bay. Koda shot a 144 overall score to tie teammate Jessie Lin as the individual crown was determined in a card-off with Haruka's back nine score being enough to win the trophy. Koda also was the SoCal Regional champion earlier in the month with a 145, 2-round total in also leading the Cougars to the South team championship. Remarkably, the 5-foot tall Koda followed up her brilliant freshman season when she was state individual runner-up with a 143 score in helping COC win the 2018 state title. She was a huge part of rare back-to-back state team titles for Canyons.
MEN
Ismael Ramirez | College of the Sequoias| Cross Country | Sophomore
Ramirez, from Redwood High in Visalia, captured the 2019 CCCAA Men's Cross Country state individual title with a time of 20:14 over the Fresno Woodward Park 4-mile course. He won the race by just one second over runner-up finisher Stefen Rasmuson of San Diego Mesa. November's accomplishments for the Sequoias talent also included his North Regional individual championship as the only NorCal racer to break 20 minutes in 19:56.1 at Salinas Toro Park. Ramirez was a 2-time All-American for the Giants.
(Robert Lewis, CCCSIA)