Southern California Community College Regional Championships Recap

For the first time in program history, San Diego Mesa College swept the men’s and women’s team titles at the Southern California Community College Cross Country Championships, in addition to Ian Rosen winning the individual 4-mile crown Friday at Chaffey College’s Grigsby Field in Rancho Cucamonga.

Ian Rosen (11/8/2024)

Saddleback College’s Danna Ibarra Canales, the reigning state 1,500-meter champion, followed her victory Oct. 4 at the Southern California Community College Preview meet by winning the women’s 5-kilometer race against defending regional and state champion Alexis Noble of San Diego Mesa.

Danna Ibarra Canales (11/8/2024)

Ibarra Canales, who finished seventh at the regional final last year at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, emerged victorious in 18 minutes, 58 seconds, an improvement from her 19:27.9 performance at the preview meet.

Noble (19:02.7) and teammate Joelle Tonne (19:03.1) – 13th at last year’s regional final – finished second and third for San Diego Mesa, which placed all seven athletes in the top 30 to produce a 54-114 victory against Mt. San Antonio College.

Moorpark took third with 180 points, Riverside finished fourth at 193 points, with Orange Coast College earning fifth following a 207-point effort.

The top 16 teams in both genders from the Southern California Championships will join eight programs in each race from the Northern California regional final to compete at the state championship meet Nov. 23 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

As many as 30 individual qualifiers in each gender can also advance to race at the state final, providing they finished among the top half of entries in their respective regional competitions.

Natalie Allen achieved ninth in 19:34.5 for the Olympians, who received strong support from Suhey Arce securing 20th in 20:25.2, Isabelle Moret clocking 20:35.1 to take 22nd, Kate Touchet capturing 23rd in 20:36.5 and Haidyn McKenzie placing 27th in 20:49.5.

San Diego Mesa had prevailed by a 40-101 margin against Mt. SAC in their previous meeting Oct. 11 at the Manny Bautista Invitational at NTC Park.

The Olympians also achieved a 68-91 victory at last year’s regional final against Mt. SAC, before the Mounties rebounded to triumph at the state championship meet for the third consecutive year at Woodward Park in Fresno.

San Diego Mesa, which won back-to-back regional crowns for the first time in program history, is attempting to capture its first women’s state title since 1994.

Allan Hancock’s Itandehui Olea was fourth Friday in 19:08.2, College of the Canyons’ Victoria Jamison placed fifth in 19:08.2, Orange Coast’s Liberty Miller secured sixth in 19:09.5, Sherlyn Gomez of L.A. Harbor College achieved seventh in 19:11.2, Glendale’s Lilit Arakelyan clocked 19:23.9 to earn eighth and Riverside’s Nadia Munoz grabbed 10th in 19:34.9.

Ava Cornell was the top competitor for runner-up Mt. SAC with a 15th-place effort in 19:57.3.

Following a three-point setback to Mt. SAC at last year’s regional final, San Diego Mesa had all seven athletes finish in the top 20 to produce a 35-93 victory Friday in the men’s 4-mile competition.

Rosen, who placed 38th at last year’s regional championship, clocked 20:42.3 to help the Olympians win their fourth Southern California men’s team title in the past five seasons, with the 2020 fall schedule canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Bernardino Valley took third with 121 points, Riverside was fourth at 131 points and Cerritos achieved a fifth-place performance with 155 points.

Alex Leroy (21:02.2), Allen Malo (21:05.1) and Ronald Way (21:05.4) were eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively for San Diego Mesa, which also showcased Luciano Roberts capturing 15th in 21:10.1, Garrett Cloyd grabbing 17th in 21:15.9 and Josh Edwards earning 19th in 21:18.0.

Mt. SAC, which edged host San Diego Mesa by a 72-73 margin Oct. 11 at the Manny Bautista Invitational, had Diego Varela (21:08.5) and Noah Chairez (21:09.3) capture 13th and 14th, with Jude Enriquez taking 18th in 21:16.4 for the Mounties.

Mt. SAC decided to rest multiple athletes in preparation for its pursuit of a three-peat at the state championship.

San Diego Mesa is seeking its first men’s state crown since winning in 2019 and 2021, with Mt. SAC earning a 49-54 victory against the Olympians last season at Woodward Park.

Allan Hancock’s John Gutierrez was second Friday in 20:48.3, Cuesta College’s Weston Greenelsh placed third in 20:49.1, San Bernardino Valley’s Kevin Nava finished fourth in 20:50.3, Bakersfield’s Jacob Perez – who won the regional preview meet Oct. 4 – took fifth in 20:55.6, Riverside’s Kailil O’Brien captured sixth in 20:58.5 and Moorpark’s Tommy White secured seventh in 21:00.6.

By Erik Boal