Camacho Wins First Ever State 800m Title
After waiting two years to compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hartnell College women's track & field team made sure to continue their historic return to the sport at the CCCAA State Championship. The team of fourteen women managed to win an individual state title, place two runner-ups, and earn an additional three podium finishes. The group placed fourth as a team, the highest in program history.
Freshman Sofia Camacho gambled by competing in two events but that paid off with one state individual title. Despite running in the 1500 meter final just an hour before where she placed second in 4:37.01, Camacho ran down the Northern California Champion Michaela Andrews of San Jose City College. Camacho edged ahead in 2:17.32 to Andrews at 2:17.65. This was Hartnell College's first state championship in that event. Camacho earned double All-American for her two podium finishes and adds them to her fall cross country All-American finish. Also competing in the 800 meters was Karla Herrera. Herrera completed her career as an individual win a podium finish eighth place timed in 2:23.16 demonstrating consistency througout the season in the two lap event.
Also picking up a second place finish and just missing out on her own state championship was freshman Isabella Reimann. Reimann who was the Norcal runner-up unleashed a first round throw of 47.65m/156-4 to take the early lead. With each passing round Reimann put the pressure on state leader Ivy Duong of Fresno City College to come up with a better throw. It was not until the sixth and final round did Duong connect and pass Reimann by a scant two inches. Reimann was still rewarded with her first All-American honor and will finish 2022 as the second best female hammer thrower in Hartnell history. Freshman Katelyn Strader placed twelfth in her first state championship. Strader finished the year with the sixth best distance in Northern California and will be one of the top returners in 2023.
Hartnell sent three women 3k steeplechase runners to the line but only freshman Ashley Ochoa was able to handle the fast pace set by eventual winner Stina Johansson of Ventura. Ochoa would grab sixth overall in a lifetime best 12:05.65 that now moves her to fourth fastest all-time in program history. Ochoa finishes the year as the Coast Conference and Norcal Champion and will be the top returner in the region in 2023. Shantal Martinez placed tenth with Mariah Changco twelfth in their first state championship.
Roxana Ruelas nearly earned All-American honors with third through sixth place in the 400mLH only separated by 0.07. Ruelas would finish sixth in 66.17 and get her first state championship and full track season since spring 2019.
Isabelle Torres wrapped up her Hartnell College career with one final medal in the 10,000 meters placing eighth. She also was eleventh in the 5000m and twelfth in the 10,000m. Torres produced top all-time marks this season in the 800m, 3000m, 5000m, and 10,000m.
Ruelas along with Herrera, Marilyn Macias, and Aaliyah Carreras finished ninth in the 4x400 relay. Reimann also competed in the high jump tying for tenth overall with a clearance of 1.45m/4-9. Lorraine Mankins was unable to clear the opening height in the pole vault but will return in 2023 as the defending Northern California champion.
