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Trio Powers Hartnell Distance in Socal Meet

Sophomores Andrea Villegas (left), Ashley Ochoa (center), and Sofia Camacho (right) all competed at the Occidental College Spring Break Distance Carnival.
Sophomores Andrea Villegas (left), Ashley Ochoa (center), and Sofia Camacho (right) all competed at the Occidental College Spring Break Distance Carnival.
Results
March 14, 2023

The Hartnell College women's track & field team sent just three to the Occidental College Spring Break Distance Carnival but those three produced four State "A" marks, a State "B", and three lifetime bests. Sophomores Sofia Camacho, Andrea Villegas, and Ashley Ochoa all competed in last spring's CCCAA State Championship and should all be in this year's edition.

Running the fastest heat of the 1500 meters, Sofia Camacho took 14 seconds off her season best jumping from 4:52.24 to 4:38.30 to place fourth overall out of 87 entrants. This was the third time Camacho has run under 4:40, the first two coming at last year's Northern California Championship and again in the CCCAA State Championship final. She continues to chase Malena Grover's program record of 4:35.47 set in 2016. Camacho also debuted over 5000m running under the State "A" with her 18:35.21. The mark moves her into second place in Northern California. 

Fellow sophomore Andrea Villegas achieved two State "A" marks in the span of three hours. In the 1500 meters, she lowered her lifetime best to 4:51.43 and moved to twelfth all-time in Hartnell program history. She now only trails Hannah Hartwell of the College of the Redwoods and teammate Camacho in the state. Over twelve and a half laps, Villegas debuted well under the State "A" qualifying mark of 18:54.33 by running 18:26.48. The time moves her to eleventh fastest all-time. 

Ashley Ochoa, the returning Norcal champion over the 3k steeplechase distance, enjoyed her first personal best of the 2023 season running 5:01.39. She's just two seconds away from the State "B" mark with March and April left to still achieve the mark. Ochoa was able to get under the State "B" mark of 19:09.91 by running 19:03.30. She has a lifetime best of 18:42 and will have a shot at running faster at the Mike Fanelli Classic on March 30-April 1. 

The Panthers will compete next at the Wildcat Cup, an annual event that brings community college programs that have close ties to the CSU Chico Cross Country/Track & Field Program. The Hartnell College women were the winners of the Wildcat Cup last year. This year's edition will take place March 17-18 at Yuba College in Marysville.