OCC ready for state

Bryce Alderton

Both the Orange Coast College men’s and women’s cross country teams

will be vying for state championships when runners take to the

Woodward Park course in Fresno against the best California has to

offer today.

The Coast women and men each won the Southern California regional

and Orange Empire Conference championships behind Art Diaz on the

men’s side and fellow sophomore Ava Jones for the women. Diaz won the

individual title at the Southern California regionals in 20:50 while

Jones took second (17:53) in the women’s race.

Diaz, along with freshman Humberto Rojas (Estancia High), Jose

Casillas, David Ojeda, Irwin Salas, Kohyar Naderi and Vidal Barragon,

helped the Coast men set a school record with a team time of 1:45:53

at the Southern California regionals.

“We did a real good job having five kids in the top 14,” John

Knox, in his third year coaching the OCC men and women, said. “Art

Diaz was good to begin with. He was the state champion in the 10,000

meters and carried it over to this year. He is really consistent and

steps up for big races.”

The men finished second at last year’s state championship.

The Coast women are gunning for their third state title in a row

and seventh in the last eight years.

Sophomores Jones and Sandra Montoya lead a pack that includes

Annie Garton, Ludi Valdez (Estancia), Jennifer Sliwa and Jane Alder.

“Our of seven women, three ran the [Woodward Park course] last

year,” Knox said. “We were fortunate with the women we got this year.

Ludi Valdez and Annie Garton have stepped up as newcomers. Ludi

Valdez is what we are all about. She is our fourth runner now and our

biggest surprise.”

Knox said the key to the success of both teams has hinged on “pack

running.”

“Ava and Sandra are the front-runners on the women’s side and

there is a pack of four of five girls that work well together right

behind them,” Knox said. “It is the same thing on the guys side.

Anyone could step up on a given day.”

Knox said teams to beat on the men’s side include San Bernardino

Valley and Glendale from Southern California and American River. El

Camino and Riverside, along with Hartnell, figure to vie for the

state title in the women’s race, which covers 3.1 miles. The men run

four miles.

“The kids are healthy, very excited and anxious at the same time,”

Knox said.