Panthers Take Back Conference Title
Before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended community college competition for more than a year, the Hartnell men's cross country suffered their first team loss since 2009. The Panthers had won nine team titles in a row until they lost to De Anza College by two points 27 to 29. Fast forward to 2021 and the Panthers are the #1 ranked Northern California team. This time around the Panthers dominated the Coast Conference Championship scoring 24 points to win their fifteenth title in the last 18 years.
Running on the familiar trails of Toro Park, the Panthers would place seven in the top nine lead by sophomore Isaac Gensel in second in 20:01. Jacob Lawrence of Chabot College was the overall winner in 19:44 and De Anza freshman Evan Franco were the only runners to split up the Hartnell top seven. Frosh Esteban Deniz was fourth 20:32 followed by Daniel Correa (20:42), Francisco Maciel (20:43), Jose Velazquez (20:44), Mario Avila (20:54), and Eli Ainsworth (20:56). Freshman Daniel Pantoja (21:22) in eleventh, Josh Riley (21:41) and Carlos Espinoza (21:46) in thirteenth and fourteenth also picked up All-Conference honors.
The Panthers have won every meet of the 2021 season with less than 30 points. The program record for team score at the Northern California Championship is 31 points set in 2016 title victory. Hartnell is currently ranked #1 in Northern California and #2 state wide but will face a tough American River College team that was just one point behind the Panthers back at the Norcal Preview Meet on September 10. The last time the Panthers competed for the Northern California title they were victorious lead by a 1-2 finish from Jorge Sanchez and Edgar Bonilla. Sophomore Isaac Gensel was the Norcal Preview Meet winner and has lead the Panthers in every cross country meet this fall.
