Cougars Collect Four More Conference Titles, Men's Team Finishes Third

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

MOORPARK — The Cougars added four more individual conference championships to their haul and finished third at the Western State Conference (WSC) Track & Field Championships hosted by Moorpark College on Friday.

COC freshman Jacore Johnson brought home dual titles in the 200m (21.752) and 400m (48.79) and will now look to contend for a regional title after advancing to next month's CCCAA Southern California Prelims. 

Johnson ended the meet by running anchor for the Cougars' 4x400m relay team (3:20.54), following the pace set by Delon Buncio, Aaron Sooknanan and Gabriel Halekakis to help bring home another conference title.

Earlier in the day the Cougars' 4x100m relay team of Troy Chairez, Buncio, Tony Collier and Lavell Bailey placed third (42.47).

Buncio was the other individual champion with his top throw of 55.34m (181' 5") in the javelin. The sophomore also finished runner-up in the 400h (54.88) and fifth in the triple jump (13.52m). He will move on to the CCCAA Southern California Regional Prelims in all three events, as well as the long jump.

COC freshman Jordan Palmer won the conference shot put final during last week's WSC Prelims & Championships event in Santa Barbara. He will compete in the regional prelims in both the shot put and discus.

Bailey placed fourth in the 100m (10.84) and fifth in the 200m (22.21) to qualify for the regional prelims in both events.

Jacob Acosta will also advance to the regional meet in the 3,000m steeplechase (10:24.38). After finishing 10th in the conference finals Acosta received an at-large bid.

Canyons (92) placed third in the final conference team standings. West Los Angeles (149) won the conference title and Moorpark (137.50) was runner-up.

COC's women's team (34) finished 10th in standings. West L.A. (171) won the women's title to sweep the meet and Cuesta (102.50) was runner-up.

Freshman Tatiana Smith will advance to the regionals in the 100m (12.40) and 200m (26.24) after finishing fifth in both events.

Freshman Giselle Alvarado posted the top individual result for the Lady Cougars by finishing runner-up in the 400m (1:00.54). She will be joined by teammate Briana Helsley, who placed fifth (1:02.59) in the same event, at the regional meet. Both Alvarado and Helsley played on COC's women's soccer team in the fall. 

The women's 4x400m relay team of Smith, Celeste Gonzalez, Helsley and Alvarado also qualified with a sixth-place time of 4:12.52. 

Gonzalez and Bell will also advance in the 1,500m and Amanda Finn moves on in the 5,000m, with all receiving at-large invites to the SoCal regionals.

The 2019 CCCAA Southern California Regional Prelims will be held Saturday, May 4, at Riverside City College. Events begin at 9 a.m.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.