Three in a row times two equals Mt. San Antonio dynasty at 3C2A Track and Field Championships
Saturday Photos: Men | Women | Awards
MISSION VIEJO – Mt. San Antonio College pulled off its double 3-peat at the 3C2A Track and Field Championships at Saddleback College on Saturday, winning both women’s and men’s team titles for a third straight season.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
The Mounties scored 102 points to take the women’s championship, ahead of Cerritos (73) and Modesto JC (61), among 37 college teams scoring. Others in the top ten: 4. Riverside, 57; 5. San Diego Mesa, 56; 6. Orange Coast, 39; 7. Bakersfield, 37; 8. Monterey Peninsula, 35; 9. Clovis, 33; 10. Long Beach, 26.
Modesto JC had the women’s track athlete of the meet in sprint double winner Taylor Snaer, who posted national JC/CC season marks. Heptathlon champion Neshara Smith of Bakersfield was the field athlete of the meet, also winning the individual long jump and 100-meter hurdle titles.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Mt. SAC had 199 points on the men’s side, followed by Riverside (114), and San Diego Mesa (74). Others included: 4. De Anza, 49; 5. Moorpark, 35; 6. Modesto, 33; 7. Chabot, 27; 8. Santa Rosa, 24; 9. Sacramento and Fresno, 17 each. There were 33 scoring teams.
Ernesto Ruiz of Riverside, winner of the steeplechase and 10,000 meters (and second in the 5K), was selected male track athlete of the meet. Decathlon champ Ryan Gregory of Santa Barbara was the top male field athlete.
WOMEN’S TRACK
Rhiannon Walker of Clovis broke open a 3-woman race at the halfway mark and took a solid victory in Saturday’s initial running final, the 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking 11 minutes, 3.91 seconds, improving upon her own state-leading time for 2024 (and ranking No. 7 on the all-time state championship top 10 list). Savannah Ganter of Riverside took the silver medal in 11:19.76 and Alexia Craven of Lake Tahoe finished third in 11:30.90.
State and national JC/CC sprint leader Taylor Snaer of Modesto opened a huge lead on the second leg of the 4x100 meter relay but Pirates anchor Alyson Schneider could not holdoff fast closing Mt. SAC’s Leila Champion, who won 46.95, fastest time in the state this year. First three Mt. SAC runners were Cyvanna Bowen, Catalina Teren, and Astrid Teren. Modesto took silver in 47.06, with Josalyn Ragland leading off and Kyndall Johnston running the third leg. Cerritos took third in 47.17.
Danna Ibarra Canales gave host Saddleback its first 2024 state meet victory, coming back off the final turn of the 1,500 meters to move ahead of Cuesta’s Brinley Ewen and take the gold medal in a state season-leading 4:39.39. Ewen was second (4:42.23) and former state leader Sophia Godina of Ventura took third (4:43.51).
All-around star Neshara Smith of Bakersfield jogged over from throwing in the heptathlon javelin competition to blast out of the blocks and claim an impressive victory in the 100-meter hurdles in 13.85. Tiana Burgess of Riverside was second in 14.04 and Brinley Campbell of Cuyamaca third, in 14.42. Smith had won the individual long jump in the morning and held a 405-point lead in the heptathlon after finishing six of the seven events.
Kayla Thompson of Antelope Valley had the best stretch run off the final curve to capture the 400 meters in 55.54. Elena Mack of Cerritos ran 55.80 for silver and Esmeray Demirbas of Orange Coast held on for third in 56.05.
Modesto’s Snaer posted a national JC/CC leading 11.30 clocking to take gold in the 100 meters. The wind-legal race (just 0.5 meters per second aiding) was the fastest JC race of the season. Skye Harris of West LA took second in 11.57 and Desie Armstrong of Diablo Valley was third in 11.80. (Snaer’s time is also No. 3 in state championship history.)
Sidney Garcia of San Diego Mesa took control of the 800-meter race going into the final turn and came home impressively in 2:11.53, taking a full second off her season-leading state time. Genevieve Tamondong of Clovis took silver in 2:13.11.
Ava Ball of Moorpark took control of the 400-meter hurdle race in the backstretch and was well in front off the final turn en route to a state season-leading time of 1:01.05. Esmeray Demirbas of Orange Coast took silver (1:01.89) and Ivy Miller of College of the Sequoias grabbed the bronze (1:02.58).
Snaer blasted out of the blocks in the 200, taking control on the curve and sprinting home in a wind-legal (+1.5 mps) time of 22.96, best among all JC/CC runners in the USA. Skye Harris of West LA took silver in 23.55 and Alona Davis of Cerritos the bronze in 24.22.
Snaer’s time is the second fastest in state championship history (and only the second performer under 23 seconds) -- behind the meet record of 22.86 by Ashton Purvis of Laney in 2012.
Marbella Flores of East LA captured the last women’s individual race, the 5,000 meters, in 17:34.51, improving her own state season lead by nearly two seconds. Rhiannon Walker of Clovis was a competitive runner-up in 17:35.13. Sequoia Gonzales of El Camino, winner of the 10K on Friday, took bronze in 17:38.95.
Riverside finished ahead of Mt. SAC in the concluding 4x400 meter relay, lowering its state season-leading time to 3:51.81. Mt. SAC was second in 3:52.65 -- but had already secured enough points to repeat as women’s team champions. College of the Sequoias (3:53.84) was third.
MEN’S TRACK
Ernesto Ruiz of Riverside resolved a 3,000-meter steeplechase duel with Antoine Moret of De Anza, moving to the lead with just over two laps to go and taking the victory in 9:05.40 – an impressive double after winning the 10,000 meters on Friday night. Moret finished second in 9:10.72 and Jacob Mendiola of San Bernardino Valley took bronze in 9:22.56.
Mt. San Antonio grabbed a slight advantage over Riverside on the third leg of the 4x100 meter relay and that held up on the anchor leg for victory with a 40.19 clocking, lowering their own state season best. Ryan Rivituso led off the Mounties team, followed by Jake Jensen, Romello Jenkins, and anchor Asani Hampton. Riverside (40.56) was second and Sacramento (40.75) took bronze.
Matthew Donis of Mt. SAC had the best finishing sprint in the 1,500 meters, overtaking last-lap leader Moises Benito in the final stretch to claim victory in 3:49.67, a state season-best time. Benito finished second in 3:50.48, just ahead of Mateo Delgadillo of American River (3:50.79) – all under the previous best 2024 time of 3:51.85. The final lap time for Donis was 58.9.
State 110 hurdles leader Anthony Taylor of El Camino got out quickly and took a convincing sticks victory in 14.12, taking more than two-tenths off his season state-leading mark. Juan Ward of Cerritos was second in 14.33, also under the previous state season best. Kaiden Whitt of West LA took bronze in 14.53.
Joey Stout of Modesto, the state 400-meter leader, had to run down the competition in the final stretch and barely caught Ryan Rivituso of Mt. SAC at the wire to claim gold in 46.82. Rivituso was just .02 back in 46.84 – both men well under the previous state season best of 47.25. Michael Holland of Moorpark took bronze in 47.44.
Asani Hampton of Mt. SAC got out fast in the 100 meters and streaked home in 10.16, with just a slight over-allowable aiding wind of 2.1 meters per second. It was still the second-fastest time in state meet history. He was just shy of his state season-pacesetting mark of 10.15 (also wind-aided). Hampton’s Mt. SAC teammate Jake Jensen was second (10.32), with Lamar Smith of SD Mesa third in 10.42
Ian Rosen of SD Mesa had the best finishing sprint in the 800 meters, coming home in 1:52.95 (with a 56.4 last lap), the fastest time in the state this year. Jordan Berkley of Mt. SAC finished second in 1:53.29 and Nathaniel Nodal of Fresno was third in 1:53.51.
Ethan Dierke of Santa Rosa took control of the 400 hurdles early and was in command coming off the final turn en route to victory in 51.24, substantially lowering his state season-leading mark of 51.99. He now ranks No. 2 nationally among all JC/CC runners this year (just a tenth off the lead). Devin Paton of Mt. SAC was second in 52.38 and Devarriea Oles of Long Beach third in 53.23.
Jake Jensen of Mt. SAC took a narrow 200-meter victory in 20.81 over Robert Stitts of Chabot (20.84), with wind just over the limit at 2.2 m.p.s. The pair battled down the final straight with Jensen holding the edge at the end. The duo share the state season legal best times of 21.00. Joey Stout of Modesto took third in 21.01.
Mathew Donis completed an impressive Saturday distance double. After earlier taking the 1,500 meters, the Mt. SAC freshman also finished fast in the 5,000 meters to claim victory in 14:30.92. That spoiled the triple win ambitions of 10K and steeple winner Ruiz, who settled for silver here in 14:32.72. Daniel Trampe of Chabot was third in 14:35.81.
San Diego Mesa won a close battle in the concluding 4x400 meter relay in 3:12.48 with a quartet of Maicell Acosta, Luke Yruretagoyena, Jaden Dasher, and Lamar Smith. Santa Rosa was second (3:13.40). Fresno took bronze in 3:13.55, edging Modesto by just .01.
WOMEN’S FIELD EVENTS
Julia Norman of Butte College took Saturday’s opening field event, the javelin, with a throw of 135 feet, 4 inches on her fifth attempt. That surpassed the 133-7 fourth-round mark of 133-7 by Camrenne Genilla of Modesto JC, who finished second with that mark. Andrea Villalta of Cerritos took the bronze medal with a best of 126-11 on her final throw.
Before starting the second day of the heptathlon competition, Neshara Smith took five efforts in the women’s individual long jump, winning with a fourth-round jump of 20-2 1/2, with zero wind support. That allowed the Bakersfield sophomore star to overcome challenger Summer Stevenson of Mt. SAC, who settled for the silver medal at 19-1 1/4. Desie Armstrong of Diablo Valley, the early leader at 19-0, saw that mark survive for the bronze.
Esmeray Demirbas of Orange Coast took a tight high jump battle with a second attempt clearance of 5-5. Zharia Taylor of Cerritos cleared the same height on her third attempt, resulting in the silver medal. Both athletes failed 5-7. Katherirne Porter of Mt. SAC was third with her first attempt clearance of 5-3. Defending champion Smith needed a second effort to get over 5-3 and settled for fourth place after she was unable to clear the next height (5-5).
Kais Kimuli of San Diego Mesa took the shot put lead with her first-round effort, 44-9, and later increased her winning mark to 45-10 1/2. Her Mesa sophomore teammate Cemara Collins claimed the silver medal at 42-2 1/4. College of San Mateo freshman Jane Taufa took the bronze at 41-6.
Isabella Popeoy of San Joaquin Delta equaled her state season-leading hammer throw mark of 178-0 on her second attempt to win the gold medal. Abigail Gavrilovic of Orange Coast took second at 162-2 and Ningning O’Brien of De Anza was third at 160-5.
Tayor Witana of San Jose cleared 12-7 1/2 to win the pole vault, equaling the state season best and the No. 3 all-time state meet performance. Kaylee Tan of San Diego Mesa took silver at 12-1 1/2, with Bailie Horton of Mt. SAC taking bronze at the same height (on more misses)
Summer Stevenson of Mt. SAC was the triple jump champion at 41-3 1/4, also improving slightly on her 41-3 runner-up performance in 2023. She ranks No. 7 on the all-time state meet top 10 list. Stevenson is also the state season leader at 41-11 1/2. Mia Jamerson of Long Beach finished second (38-1 1/4) and Tiana Burgess of Riverside placed third (38-0).
Dimitra Vitogiann of Cerritos won the discus throw at 146-11 (and has the state season best of 152-7). De Anza’s Ningning O’Brien placed second (142-7) and Riverside’s Isabelle Campos took third (141-6).
HEPTATHLON
Neshara Smith had little trouble winning gold in the heptathlon. After leading all competitors in the 100 hurdles, the 200, and the long jump in the heptathlon, the Bakersfield star held a 405 point lead going into the concluding 800-meter race. She cruised to a 2:51.30 finish for just 450 points. She won the 7-event competition with 4,784 points (adding 113 to her state season lead) and finished ahead of Zharia Taylor of Cerritos (4,528) and Jocelyn Pedretti of Modesto (4,524)
MEN’S FIELD EVENTS
Kai Burich of De Anza had an opening round hammer throw of 183-6 to start Saturday’s field event competition and that was good for the gold medal. Christian Burroughs of Riverside had a fourth round throw of 180-5 for second place. Nicholas Clemons of San Joaquin Delta threw 167-4 in the fifth round to claim bronze.
Ray Oldham of Sacramento CC and Cytres Vives of Moorpark both high jumped 6-8 3/4, clearing on their third attempts. Oldham, however, claimed the gold medal since Vives had an opening first attempt miss at 6-2 3/4 that made the difference on the countback.
Shamar Cook of Merritt took third with a first-attempt clearance of 6-6 3/4. Bryson Williamson of Riverside placed fourth after his second-try clearance of the latter height.
Long jump favorite Daimon Dedmon of Bakersfield took care of business with a third-round jump of 25-5 1/4 with no aiding wind to take the gold medal by a comfortable margin ahead of Chris Jackson (14-9 1/4) of San Diego Mesa. Dedmond is the U.S. JC/CC leader this season with a best of 26-2 1/4, with just slightly excessive wind (2.1 meters per second). Mekhi Sanchez of College of the Sequoias took bronze at 24-1 3/4.
Edward Ta’amilo of Riverside added three-quarters of an inch to his season-leading state shot put lead, reaching 54-5 1/4 on his second effort to take control of the event. Jake Troxell of Golden West claimed silver at 50-4 1/2 and Mateo Garcia of De Anza was third at 50-1 1/4.
Ta’amilo, the only returning men’s champion, repeated in the discus throw, reaching 178-0 on his sixth and final effort. That relegated Liam Brennan of De Anza to second place at 175-6. Isaiah Butler of Riverside finished third at 159-0.
Kyle Wood of San Diego Mesa improved his state season=leading javelin throw mark to 203-10 to claim the gold medal there. Trevor Mccarthy of Ventura took second at 191-11 and Dominic Tubbs of Mt. SAC was third at 185-8.
Elijha Ellis of Mt. SAC won the triple jump, reaching 48-1 1/4 on his sixth and final effort, to turnback state season pacesetter Terrence Sweetman of Mt. SAC, who had been leading with his opening round 47-9 jump. Jerry Roberts of Mt. SAC took the bronze at 47-1. (Sweetman still has the state season best of 49-9.).
Micah Krosby of host Saddleback used a first-attempt pole vault clearance 14-11 to claim that gold medal. Nathaniele Zwisler of Mt. SAC cleared the same height on his second attempt for the silver medal, as did his Mountie teammate Pablo Nunez -- who had more overall misses, however, and took bronze.
DECATHLON
Ryan Gregory came into the concluding 1,500 meter race of the decathlon with a substantial lead. The Santa Barbara sophomore didn’t take that race lightly, running to win in 4:32.03 for 731 points and a final 10-event score of 7,044 – improving his state season lead by nearly 400 points. His total ranks No. 2 nationally among JC/CC athletes this season, just 26 points off the national lead. Samuel Willis of Riverside took the decathlon silver medal with 6,497 points and Jadan Williams of Mt. SAC captured the bronze with 6,439.
(Fred Baer, CCCSIA)