Community college track and field: Icban wins So Cal title

SAN DIEGO - Orange Coast College freshman Michelle Icban won the

Southern California championship in the 10,000-meter race after her

36:53.0 clocking Saturday at UC San Diego.

Icban, whose time is the third-fastest in OCC history, advances to the

state championships, May 17, at Santa Barbara City College. She also

qualified for Southern California Finals this Saturday at San Diego State

in the 5,000 at the So Cal Preliminaries, where the 10,000 finals took

place. Icban, who won Orange Empire Conference titles in the 5,000 and

10,000, defeated defending state champion Jenny Bell of Mt. San Antonio

College.

The top six in each event in the So Cal Finals Saturday will advance

to the state championships with Icban.

Others qualifying for Saturday’s finals include, Ann Garton (400

hurdles), Julie Kroening (javelin), Lindsay Allen (steeplechase and

5000), Natalie St. Andre (5,000), Jennifer Finaldi (pole vault) and

Ginger Liechtly (high jump).

The OCC women’s 4x400 relay team qualified and included Kroening,

Garton, Simone Peront and Jene Goshay. Jennifer Urbieta is also an

alternate on the relay team.

On the men’s side, Kienan Briggs qualified in the triple jump and the

110 hurdles. Chuck Loo also qualified for the finals in the 110 hurdles,

and James Canetti (shot put), Joel Guzman (3,000), Jason Foutch (5,000),

Ricky Rehanek (5,000), Mikael Persson (pole vault), Shaun Walker

(javelin) and Ryan McHugh (javelin) will join him.