Diaz, Jones sweep for Coast

Art Diaz and Ava Jones were each crowned Orange Empire Conference

champions and both led the Orange Coast College men’s and women’s

cross country teams to conference titles Friday at Laguna Niguel

Regional Park.

Diaz ran the four-mile course in 19:23 to lead the Coast men (15

points) to their third straight OEC title. Santiago Canyon came in

second with 55 points. Coast took the top five spots with Humberto

Rojas (19:35), David Ojeda (19:38), Jose Casillas (19:41) and Vidal Barragon (19:50) leading the way.

Jones finished the 3.1-mile course in 17:48 to lead the Coast

women (23 points) to their eighth consecutive conference crown.

Sandra Montoya placed second in 18:27 with Ludi Valdez (fourth,

18:58), Annie Garton (sixth, 19:22) and Jane Alder (10th, 19:43)

finishing for Coast. Riverside finished second with 40 points.

Irwin Salas placed eighth on the men’s side in 19:58 while

Francisco Guerra placed 10th in 20:01. Kohyar Naderi placed 11th in

20:06.

The Coast women took spots 12-15 beginning with Sarah Delano

(19:55) followed by Jessica Huerta (19:56), Emilie Vo (20:03) and

Eileen Bello (20:03.3). They were followed by Jenny Sliwa (17th,

20:16), Jasmine Geider (18th, 20:40), Hanni Geider (19th, 20:41),

Claudia Sanchez (22nd, 20:56) and Lucia Perez (35th, 23:17).

Juan Altamirano placed 16th for the Coast men in 20:28.1 followed

by Pedro Nambo (17th, 20:28.8), Jason Valenzuela (19th, 20:37), Matt

Staggs (24th, 20:51), Andre Brown (30th, 21:22.1), Chris Durst (32nd,

21:25), Ignacio Perez (37th, 21:39), Francisco Morales (38th,

21:43.6), Josh Gerard (39th, 21:43.9), Jason Thomas (41st, 21:59),

Artie Moreno (44th, 22:20), Carlos Leon (46th, 22:34), Mario Cruz

(55th, 23:26) and Scott Cole (64th, 29:34).

Both Pirate teams will compete in the Southern California regional

championships Nov. 8 at Mt. San Antonio College.