Cross country: OCC impressive in OEC preview meet

IRVINE - Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams competed

for Orange Coast College at the Orange Empire Conference Preview meet

Saturday and Pirate Coach John Goldman was pleased with the results.

“We were just edged out by Santa Ana by nine points and it looks like by

the time conference championships roll around, the title will be very

close,” Goldman said.

The women’s crew led by last year’s OCC Female Athlete of the Year, Zoila

Gomez, finished nearly 40 points ahead of the nearest competition.

Gomez (19:23), followed by Pirate teammates Berenice Carbajal (19:56) and

Sinfo Orozco (20:44), were the top three placers in the meet. OCC had

five of the top six placers in the race.

On the men’s side, Juan Sanchez led the Bucs with a fourth-place time of

21:04.

Goldman was also pleased with the grouping of Robert Jones, Alberto

Munoz, Chris Monachelli and Manuel Orozco, who finished 8-9-10-11

overall.