Historic Third Norcal Title for Panther Women
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted California Community College competition for nearly two full years. Despite not having competitions, restricted to limited practices last spring, and virtual recruiting for nearly all of the 2020-2021 academic year, the Hartnell College women's track & field team persevered to win its third consecutive Northern California team title. The Panthers had competitors in every event minus the 100m and 100mH and managed to score points in all tallying their highest winning total of the three championships. Hartnell scored 135 points to win by 25.5 over conference rival DeAnza College. Despite not winning the conference title, the Panthers left the Norcal Championship satisifed with the team title.
After netting 18 points in the women's 10,000m, the first scored event on the final day of competition was the pole vault. Freshman Lorraine Mankins used her previous experience at Chabot College and adapted quickly to the changing winds during the competition. She tied her season best 3.45m/11-3.75 which she recorded at the State Preview at Mt. SAC to win the competition. She becomes the third ever Northern California champion in the pole vault for Hartnell joining Vanessa Yebra, who won back to back state titles, and Katrina Rodriguez. Mankins, only a freshman, will head to the State Championship in search of All-American honors and surpass the second best mark in school history of 11-6 set by Rodriguez. Mankins was also fifth in her first triple jump championship with a mark of 10.73m/35-2.50 giving her 14 points of the team's 135 points.
In addition to Mankins, the Panthers had two other field event competitors that brought in a combined 17 points. Frosh Isabella Reimann put together her best hammer throw competition finally moving to second all-time in program history. Her mark of 47.78/156-9 was a lifetime best by nearly nine feet. She passes former record holder Cindy Rojas from 2006. Reimann will be one more shot at the state championship and the all-time mark of 162-7 set by Clarissa Hernandez in 2011. Reimann also picked up a fifth place in the high jump clearning 1.45m/4-9. Freshman Katelyn Strader got her lifetime best in the discus final throwing 36.76m/120'7". She's flirting with the top 20 all-time needing 121-8 to make the list. Strader was also eighth in the hammer bringing in a point there but will advance to the state championship with the auto mark.
The women's track events provided the powerful punch the team needed to take a commanding lead in the team battle. The 3k women's steeplechase gave the Panthers 24 points lead by Ashley Ochoa's first place finish in 12:10.90. She was followed by teammates Mariah Changco (12:19.60) and Shantal Martinez (12:20.01). Martinez was ranked fifth heading into the final and needed the State "A" mark which she surpassed. The women's 4x100 relay brought in five points with the their fifth place 50.40. Marilyn Macias subbed in at the last moment to help the team record their second best mark of the season. Sofia Camacho is starting her late season peak nearly taking second place in the women's 1500 meters and overcoming 4:31 performer Grace Southern of Shasta College. Southern was timed in 4:36.25 to Camacho's 4:36.52. Camacho's time was an eight second personal best and moved her to second all-time trailing only Malena Grover. Isabelle Torres was fifth, Andrea Villegas sixth and Ashley Ochoa snuck up for eighth after running the steeplechase. The 1500 meters brought in 16 points to the team total. Roxana Ruelas finally got her first sub 61 performance in the 400 meters placing sevent in 60.94. She would return to the track an hour later and place second in the 400mLH in a personal best 65.38 bringing in 10 points of her own. In the women's 800 meters, the Panthers would pick up 13 points lead by Camacho's third place (2:20.24). Freshman Karla Herrera ran a valiant 2:21.19 to get fifth. Isabelle Torres doubled back in 2:28.65. Freshman MPC transfer Aaliyah Carreras took full advantage of her 200 meter final getting fifth with her second sub 26 second performance (25.98). Camacho and Torres racked up nine more points in their third event of the day. Camacho was third in the 5000 meters (18:54.48) with Torres fourth (19:07.52). Shantal Martinez was ninth in a personal best 19:45.13. The 4x400 relay put the icing on the championship cake. Not only wanting to place into the top four, the Panthers needed a season best to advance to state. With Herrera leading off and passing to Roxana Ruelas running her third 400 meter of the day, the Panthers were ahead of Diablo Valley College who brought a season best 4:00 into the competition. Carreras would hold the lead to just before the final hand off to Marilyn Macias. Macias powered around the track to complete a season best 4:04.37 to become the only other Norcal squad to qualify for the state championship. That mark moves the quartet to eleventh fastest all-time.
The Panthers will head south for the second time this season to conclude the 2022 season at the CCCAA State Track & Field Championship to be hosted by Mt. San Antonio College. The following athletes are scheduled to compete:
Lorraine Mankins (Pole Vault)
Kately Strader (Hammer)
Isabella Reimann (Hammer)
Marilyn Macias (4x400)
Karla Herrera (4x400)
Aaliyah Carreras (4x400)
Roxana Ruelas (400mLH,4x400)
Ashley Ochoa (3k Steeplechase)
Mariah Changco (3k Steeplechase)
Shantal Martinez (3k Steeplechase)
Faith Mora (10,000m)
Isabelle Torres (10,000m, 1500m, 5000m)
Sofia Camacho (1500m, 800m)
Andrea Villegas (1500m)
