Several new state qualifying performances

The Hartnell College track & field teams ventured into Southern California in search of good weather and state championship quality competition. The Panthers found both at the Ron Kamaka Open held at Mt. San Antonio College, host site of this year's 3C2A State Championship on May 15-16. The trip was highly successful for the large group who competed and several new state qualifying performances were produced.

In the women's competition, sophomore Jenna Emerson debuted in the 100mH. Emerson, the 2025 Coast Conference Champion, ran 15.08 to place fourth overall. The mark easily surpassed the State "A" mark and Emerson will now shift her focus to her signature event, the 400mLH. Freshman Gabriela Cardenas produced two outstanding marks. Her 4:57.74, met the State "B" mark and ranks her second in Northern California. She would return to the track for the 3000 meters and ran amongst the leaders for over 2000 meters. Cardenas stopped the clock in 10:38.25, finishing just one second off the top community college finisher. Freshman Evelyn Gonzales is finding the triple jump to her liking producing a team-leading 9.80m. Sophomore Belle Caasi lead in the hammer with a season best 31.16m. 

The Hartnell men's throwers showed the South community college competitors that they should expect to see them in the state championship come May. Sophomore Aiden Ishimaru tossed the hammer 46.12 meters to place fourth overall and the top community college thrower in the field. The mark puts Ishimaru into third overall in Northern California. His former Salinas High School teammate Joshua Na has transitioned quickly to the 2kg discus. Na produced a mark of 42.90m in just his second collegiate discus competition. The mark puts him into second in Northern California. Freshman Erik Luna Bedolla led in the distances running lifetime bests in the 1500 meters and 3000 meters at 4:11.40 and 8:50.58, the latter is second fastest in Northern California. Freshman Nathaniel Aceves-Aguilar had team leading marks in the javelin (41.97), high jump (1.75) and triple jump (13.33). 

The Panthers will take a short trip down Highway 101 to Cuesta College for a three-way team competition with host Cuesta College and fellow Central Coast counterpart Allan Hancock College. The meet will take place on Friday, February 27th.