Vargas Adds 5k Record at Oxy

Freshman Julian Vargas has raced just three times this season but has now broken two Hartnell College distance running record. On February 23, he broke Esteban Deniz's 10,000 meter record running 30:36.60. At the Occidental College Distance Carnival, he broke Diego Leon's 5000 meter record by 1.54 seconds. Vargas was timed in 14:25.11, the third fastest time in the state by a community college runner. The former St. Francis (Watsonville) product, competed for one cross country season at Xavier University in Ohio before transferring to Hartnell College. He is the Norcal leader at 10,000m and is ranked second in the 5000 meters.

Sophomore Moises Benito made up a for lackluster freshman Occidental Distance Carnival by running a lifetime best 3:53.98 to take the Norcal and State lead by 3 seconds. Benito's previous best was 3:54.98 set at last May's Northern California Championship. Freshman Elijah Melchor lowered ran his season best of 4:11.26 and doubled back with a 16:04.00 in the 5000m. Kaimana Cantere debuted in the 3k steeplechase in 10:14.99. Eduardo Morfin ran the 100 meters in 10.95 to place fourth overall in the meet. Jose Cota lowered her lifetime best in the 800 meters to 2:02.12. Liam Pattison (2:02.43) and Jacob Dizon (2:05.23) also competed. Andy Ruiz Perez placed third in the hammer throw with a toss of 44.14m. Ethan Lavina equaled his Norcal leading triple jump mark with a 14.10m second place finish.

The Panthers will compete next at the CSM Bulldog Invitational at the College of San Mateo on Saturday, March 16th.