Palmer Wins SoCal Regional Shot Put Title, 11 Cougars Move on to Event Finals

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE — Freshman Jordan Palmer won an individual CCCAA Southern California Regional Championship in the men's shot put as the Cougars' track & field teams combined to see 11 athletes advance to next week's SoCal Regional Finals meet.

Palmer recorded a personal record throw of 16.02m (52' 6.75") to win the event, and will now enter the CCCAA State Championship meet with the No. 2 ranked throw in the state. Palmer's mark, recorded Saturday at the SoCal Regional Prelims and Championships meet hosted by Riverside City College, bested the next closest competitor by more than three feet. The freshman also won the 2019 Western State Conference (WSC) title in the same event.

Sophomore Delon Buncio punched his ticket to the state meet after finishing sixth in the men's javelin finals with a throw of 49.67m (162' 11").

The shot put and javelin were included in the handful of events that held their finals heats on Saturday. All other events served as prelims for the CCCAA Southern California Championships to be held at Riverside City College on Saturday, May 11.

COC freshman Jacore Johnson placed first in the 400m prelims (47.90) to advance to this weekend's finals meet.

Buncio moves forward in the 400h (56.05) after qualifying in the eighth and final spot. The sophomore also qualified in the long jump (6.43m/21' 1.25") with a 10th place finish. Andrew Mercado also moves on in the long jump after finishing sixth at the prelims (6.66m/21'10.25"). Palmer is also expected to contend in the men's discus finals, which will hold both prelim and finals flights on Saturday.

The men's 4x100m relay team of Buncio, Mercado, Tony Collier and Lavell Bailey ran in sixth place (42.48) to advance.

The Lady Cougars have athletes competing in the final heats of the 5,000m, 1,500m and 4x400m relay this weekend.

Celeste Gonzalez placed 11th in the 1,500m (5:08.68) to claim a spot at the regional meet. Amanda Finn will run in the 5,000m with the prelims and finals heats both being contested on Saturday.

The team of Brianna Helsley, Gonzalez, Tatiana Smith and Giselle Alvarado are also slated to move on in the 4x400m relay after combining for an eighth place time of 4:13.73, good for the final qualifying spot.

The CCCAA SoCal Regional Championships begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Event winners and qualifiers then move on to the 2019 State Championships hosted by College of San Mateo on May 17-18.

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.