Hartnell Men Earn Coast Conference Championship Victory

Hartnell College asserted its strength once again in the Coast Conference Cross Country Championship.

In the men's race, heavy team favorite Hartnell College was a decisive winner with a low score of 17 points. That would be the lowest point total since 2005 when the Hartnell team scored 16 points. Sophomore Julian Vargas powered away early and won by 69 seconds in 20:30. The mark was the fourth fastest ever by a Hartnell runner and just two seconds off what Norcal favorite and last year's runner-up Stephan Chapdelaine of Butte College ran back on October 3rd at Toro Park. Hartnell sophomores Alvaro Ruelas (21:39) and Giancarlo Mendo (21:39) finished second and third just ahead of Giovanni Lancelotti of De Anza  (21:41), spoiling the perfect score for the Panthers. Hartnell's Leyder Hernandez (21:45) and Giovanni Ochoa (22:02) would finish fifth and sixth overall. Monterey Peninsula's Mamoud Alwasila (22:17) placed seventh just ahead of Ivan Martinez-Galindo (22:21) and Gabriel Clemente (22:23) of Hartnell. De Anza would place with 59 points Jonathan Kammerer and Roee Biluar with top 14 finishes. Chabot College was third with 75 points adding Tirduad Rejaly in the top 14.

All full teams will advance to next week's Northern California Championship at Woodward Park. This the first time since 1989 that both the Norcal and State Championship will be held consecutively at Woodward Park.