The Moorpark College Raiders and the Ventura College Pirates track and field teams were both able to notch top five finishes at the Western State Conference championships on April 30 in Moorpark.
The Moorpark men’s team finished the season as WSC champions, and the Moorpark women’s team finished fourth, completing a very successful day for the Raiders.
The Raiders placed in the top five in the 5000m run. Sophomore Isidore Herrera finished third for the men with a time of 15:30.74 while sophomore Madelyn Stoltze finished first for the women with a time of 17:41.15.
The 100m hurdles were also strong for the women as freshman Shara Longbotham finished third for the Raiders with a time of 15.72.
The 3000m steeple chase was also an event that gave the Raiders the opportunity to pick up points as freshman Charlie Petrie finished first with a time of 9:30.91.
Longbotham also finished third in the high jump with a jump of 5′ 1.”
Freshman John Walsh finished fourth in the long jump with a 22′ 9.75″ leap.
The Raiders really made headway towards their WSC men’s championship with their performance in the throwing events.
Shot put was just the tip of the iceberg as the Raiders finished with four out of the top five finishes with sophomore Kenneth Sugishita finishing first overall. Sugishita was followed by freshman Josh McClure, sophomores Andrew Durham and Gabriel Acero finishing second, fourth and fifth respectively.
Sophomore Jane Swenson helped pitch in for the women in shot put as she finished first throwing 44’2″.
Coach Linda Boyan believed the team raised its level for the WSC championships and the success followed because of it despite some youth.
“I think the kids raised their level,” said Boyan. “We got a lot of young people, a lot of freshman on the track so that was good to see.”
The Pirates finished in the top five as well, with some strong performances in the running and field events.
Freshmen Jeff bush and Thomas Castillo finished fifth and sixth respectively in the 100m.
Freshman Theodore Elsenbaumer finished fourth in the 110m hurdles for the men while freshman Raquel Ormsby finished fourth as well for the women in the 100m hurdle.
Ormsby would make her presence felt again in the 400m hurdle finishing first by a full three seconds.
The Pirates men’s team finished fourth in the 4X100 relay, but the spectacular performance came in the men’s high jump.
Freshman James Innis drew several cheers and suspense from the crowd as he continued to jump higher and higher eventually finishing at 6’11”.
In the shot put freshman Jordan Paea finished third overall for the men while sophomore Cynthia Sanchez finished second for the women.
Coach Tim Gutierrez believes that his team showed the ability to compete at a high level during the WSC championships.
“A couple weeks ago we had a team meeting that talked about competing and intensity,” said Guitierrez.
“Today they have proven to me that they can come out here and compete and they can be intense, based on the times they are showing in their events.”
