Cougars Win Men's Race, Women Take Second at Program's First Out-of-State Meet
By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director
LAS VEGAS — College of the Canyons competed at an out-of-state meet for the first time in program history, with the Cougars' men's team running to victory and the women's squad placing runner-up at the College of Southern Nevada Tri-State meet on Friday.
The win was the first of the season for the men's team, which also saw three runners place in the top six of the individual standings.
COC freshman Josue Lopez finished second on the 8K course at Floyd Lamb Park with his time of 25:52.9. That result placed Lopez just a few steps ahead of teammate Alejandro Cueto in third place at a pace of 26:04.
Fellow freshman Sebastian Peraza, running in his first event of the season, took sixth place at 26:20.
Spencer Easterbook was 19th overall in the field of 66 runners with a time of 27:38.9. Daniel Alexander at 28:03.5 was the final scorer for Canyons, completing the course at 28:03.5
COC (42) was followed by Hartnell College (55), event host Southern Nevada (76), Long Beach City College (83) and Coconino Community College (102). Additionally, the event attracted a collection of more than a dozen unattached runners.
Canyons also saw Nathan Parras (27th-28:13.1), Carlos Villa Moreno (28th-28:20.2), Noah Flores (32nd-28:35.1), Cody Shirley (38th-29:36.8), Neil Aspert (40th-29:58), Nick Sawyer (44th-30:24.7), Jacob Franco (50th-31:48.7) and Josh Smith (55th-33:49) run at the event.
On the women's side, it was Victoria Jamison winning a race for the second time in as many outings. The sophomore, who won the Western State Conference (WSC) preview on Sept. 12, was clocked at 19:04.4 to easily win the meet. The runner-up finisher was more than 23 seconds behind Jamison's pace.
COC again saw three runners finish in the top 10, with sophomore Liliana Moreira running the 5K course in 20:22 to take seventh overall and Jazlene Herreres slotting 10th at 20:36.6.
Alyssa Arriaga in 15th at 21:10.8 and Ruby Salazar in 23rd with a time of 21:58.2 also scored in the Cougars' final tally. Andrea Fernandez took 25th in the field of 55 at 22:27.4 but was dropped from the final scoring.
Harttnell (36) won the event with Canyons (53) and Long Beach City (63) in the top three spots. Coconino (77) was fourth with Southern Nevada also competing but not factoring into the team scoring. Once again, more than a dozen unattached runners also entered the race.
Canyons is back in action Friday, Oct. 3, at the Bakersfield College Invitational being held at Lake Ming.
Women's Results (5K):
V. Jamison (1st –19:04.4); L. Moreira (7th– 20:22); Herreres (10th – 20:36.6); A. Arriaga (15th – 21:10.8); R. Salazar (23rd – 21:58.2); A. Fernandez (25th – 22:27.4)
Men's Results (8K)
J. Lopez (2nd – 25:52.9); A. Cueto (3rd-26:04); S. Peraza (6th – 26:20); Easterbrook (19th – 27:38.9); D. Alexander (25th – 28:03.5); N. Parras (27th – 28:13.1); C. Moreno (46th – 28:20.2); N. Flores (32nd – 28:35.1); C. Shirley (38th – 29:36.8); N. Aspert (40th – 28:58); N. Sawyer (44th – 30:24.7); J. Franco (50th – 31:48.7); J. Smith (55th – 33:49)
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 X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.