Garcia's Leap Highlights Good Day for Panthers in Monterey

February 18, 2018

Nine colleges traveled to the Monterey peninsula to compete in the MPC Open on Saturday under beautiful skies and a relatively wind-less afternoon. Hartnell College got the opportunity to see several Coast Conference challengers in addition to the host Lobos of MPC. The Panthers competed against College of San Mateo, Chabot College, San Jose City College, and CC of San Francisco for the first time this season. The Panthers enjoyed three event winners for the men and six for the women.

The women's squad continued to show their potential winning both relays. The team of Veronica Aguilar, Sherise Robinson, Haley Romero, and Gerilynn Omictin combined to record a season best in the 4x100 in 50.65. Freshmen Dakota Peebles and Nina Arias along with Robinson and Aguilar lowered their season best time in the 4x400 by 7 seconds to 4:16.68. Robinson also won the 800 meters in just her fourth ever attempt in the event with a lifetime best 2:27.13. She also competed in the 100 hurdles, shot put, and long jump to prepare for an attempt at the Norcal Heptathlon Championship in April. Sophomore distance aces Leslie Oseguera and Jocelyn Cervantes combined for two victories. Oseguera took the 1500 meter run in a lifetime best 5:07.59. Cervantes paced out the 5000 meter run to an early state leading 19:32.66. Oseguera was also third in the 800 meters with a lifetime best 2:30.92. In the 1500 meters alone, the Lady Panthers dipped five under the Norcal Provisional mark of 5:19.00 with Oseguera leading followed by Yvette Tavarez (5:10.36), Monica Ruelas (5:14.95), Lauryn Orozco (5:16.71), and Maria Aceves (5:18.39). Orozco and Ruelas also surpassed the regional mark in the 5000 meters running 20:05.22 and 20:21.35 respectively. Freshman Dakota Peebles placed third in the 400 meter hurdles in 1:11.76 as she rapidly transitions to the longer collegiate hurdle race. Fellow frosh Anesa Vanderlipe jumped out two feet further than last week in the triple jump to 34'5.50". Tyshell Johnson-Hill won her second consecutive shot put competition with 35'9.25".

Fellow cross country all-americans David Frisbie of Chabot College and Hartnell's Ricky Esqueda squared off in the first running event of the day the 3000 meter run. The pair did not disappoint producing only the fourth and fifth sub 9:00 clockings in the state for that event. Frisbie took the win as he did last year here followed by Esqueda in 8:58.87. Esqueda won the 5000 meters over teammate Alfredo Mejia, Jr. 15:52.56 to 15:16.99. Frosh Jack Fling added one one hundredth of a centimeter to his lifetime best now at 4.31m. Sophomore Fernando Garcia tied for the long jump win with a personal best 21'11.50", a mark that ranks him in the top four in Northern California. Brendan Lepe lowered his 400 meter intermediate hurdle best to 57.86 to take a close second. He coupled that with a 53.00 flat 400 meter open mark earlier in the meet. Sophomore Adam Alnazer was second in the 800 meters (2:03.09) and recorded his first 1500 meter mark of the spring (4:14.15). Rex Tomimbang, Jr. was second in the 110 high hurdles (16.01). The 4x100 meter relay team of Kyle Henn, Clemente Villareal, Justin Robante, and Isaiah Givens got their first mark of the season in 43.77 to placed third. Jonathan Saldana was fourth in the 3000 meter run in 9:09.85.

The Panthers will return to action on March 2-3 at home in the Gary Shaw Track & Field Festival.