Champions crowned on first day of 3C2A Track and Field Championships at Saddleback

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MISSION VIEJO – Sequoia Gonzales of El Camino College won the women's 10,000 meters in the first finals race of the 2024 3C2A State Track and Field Championships at Saddleback College Friday evening. It was basically a 3-woman race most of the way, with Gonzales taking the lead from teammate Ami Jacobson at 8,000 meters and holding on to win in 36 minutes, 22.19 seconds. Itandehui Olea of Allan Hancock College finished second in 36:37.95 and Jacobson took the bronze medal in 36:40.12. Ingrid Tamayo of Mt. San Antonio College was back in fourth place at 38:38.79.

Gonzales' time improved her own state season-leading best and she now ranks No. 4 on the all-time state meet top performances list. Olea moved into the No. 9 slot and Jacobson is now No. 10.

That gave El Camino 16 points and the first day lead in the women's team competition --ahead of Hancock (8), Mt. SAC (5), Moorpark (4), Ventura (3), Santa Monica (2), and De Anza (1).

Ernesto Ruiz of Riverside City College took the lead in the men's 10K with about a mile left, moving ahead of Ian Crocker of Mt. SAC, and took the title in 30:23.00. Crocker was second (30:34.96) and Kyle Galinis of Chabot College placed third in 30:48.02. Ruiz improved upon his state season-leading mark in the event.

Mt. SAC, with three scorers in the race, took the first-day men's team lead with 11 points, just ahead of Riverside (10), and followed by Chabot (6), Orange Coast (5), Hartnell (4), and Moorpark (3).

The only other first-day competition involved the beginning of combined events.

WOMEN'S HEPTATHLON
Neshara Smith of Bakersfield College is the first-day leader in the women's heptathlon with 3,112 points after four events. She took the lead at the outset with a 13.89 seconds clocking in the 100 meter hurdles for 994 points, then cleared 5 feet 3 inches in the high jump for 736 points. Smith is the defending state individual champion in the high jump and will compete in that event again on Saturday, along with the hurdles and long jump.

Second in the heptathlon is Zharia Taylor of Cerritos College with 2,901 points, followed by Jocelyn Pedretti of Modesto JC, 2,749.

MEN'S DECATHLON
Ryan Gregory of Santa Barbara CC leads the men's decathlon after five events with 3,608 points, followed by Samuel Willis of Riverside CC, 3,473, and Jordan Navarro of Moorpark College, 3,454. Gregory had opening day marks of 11.04 in the 100 meters, 21-10 3/4 in the long jump, 32-3 in the shot put, 6-3 1/4 in the high jump, and 49.85 in the 400 meters.

(Fred Baer, CCCSIA)