PCC Track and Field’s Caleb Wood Wins SCC Javelin Title at Prelims

Pasadena City College freshman Caleb Wood used his season-best throw of 170 feet, 6 inches to become South Coast Conference champion in the men’s javelin event. Wood’s victory highlighted the PCC men’s and women’s track and field teams’ performance during the SCC Prelims held Tuesday at El Camino College-Compton Center.

Only a handful of finals events were performed at the SCC Prelims as most competitors were attempting to qualify for Friday’s SCC Championships (also at Compton). Wood’s teammates Daniel Walker (seventh) and Robert Pachorek (eighth) also medaled in the javelin for the Lancers.

The PCC men’s team stood in third place with 32 points in the SCC team scoring.

In the 10,000 meters final, Lancer Luis Dorantes, who held the previous fastest state time in the event, was beaten by a school record run by Cerritos’ Daniel Herrera as Dorantes settled for third place with a time of 32:13.28. Herrera’s 30:19.48 mark overtook Dorantes’ 31:04.62 time set at the Occidental Distance Carnival back in March.

In the 3,000 steeplechase finals, Kevin Cano placed fourth at 10:11.04. Chris Le just missed medaling in taking ninth at 10:23.63.

Among the top qualifying marks for the PCC men at the prelims were Khambrell Gomez, who threw a hair more than 43 feet to gain the top seed in the shot put. Gomez was fifth in the discus. In the 100-meter sprint, Ron Spears bolted to a 10.84 seconds time to also grab top seed going into Friday’s finals. Ismail Naeem is the second seed in the triple jump with a prelims’ leap of 45-6.5. Wood (pictured) was third in the discus toss at 133-10 and Gomez took fifth. Alfredo Folgar finished fifth in the 1,500 (4:10.35).

WOMEN

Diane Lombardi had the second fastest mark in the 800 meters race during the SCC Prelims April 24 at Compton. Lombardi raced 2:20.02. Tenia Sebastian also grabbed the second seed in the 400 hurdles (1:04.15). Yvette Bastidas was fourth in the discus throw of 113-3.

In the 10,000 meters final, Elizabeth Lyons was fifth (41:06.38) and Cassandra Lew took seventh (41:23.88) as both scored medals for the Lancers.

Release Date: 04/26/2012

PCC Men’s Track and Field Finishes Rare 3Rd at SCC Finals

[Photo--PCC track and field distance runner Luis Dorantes in action during a recent meet, image by Richard Quinton.]

While the Pasadena City College men’s track and field program has had many highlights in its storied history, the Lancers as a team have not achieved much success in their years as a member of the South Coast Conference. With second-year head coach Larry Wade directing the program along with assistant distance coach Armand Crespo, it appears a change for the better is starting to take place.

At the SCC Prelims/Finals April 24 and 27 held at El Camino College-Compton Center, the Lancers placed third with 85 points. It matched the highest finish ever by PCC at the SCC event and it was the first time the college has finished that high in the men’s standings since 1997. PCC has been a member of the South Coast since 1987.

Even the 2004 team, a squad that originally captured the state title only to have PCC placed third due to an ineligible athlete, finished just fourth at that year’s conference finals.

While the only Lancer to win an individual event was Caleb Wood in the javelin, PCC managed to score team points in a bevy of other events. Khambrell Gomez, who played two years on the PCC football team as a lineman, was conference runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 47 feet, 6.5 inches. Wood also scored a second-place medal in the discus with a throw of 134-5 while Gomez was fifth in that event.

Wood was selected the SCC Men’s Field Athlete of the Meet by coaches.

The 4×100 meter relay team grabbed second place (season best 41.47 seconds) behind the sprinting of Devin Rojas, Ron Spears, Robert Pachorek, and Keiton Winston. Conference team champion Mt. San Antonio barely held off the Lancers in winning that event at 41.05. Another PCC second was turned in by Ismail Naaem in the triple jump with a leap of 45-6.5.

Luis Dorantes, who was third in the 10,000 meters, ran third in the 5,000 as well with a time of 15:23.05.

PCC appeared to have another SCC champion in the making until Spears pulled his hamstring after leading the first 60 meters of the 100 dash. Winston placed fifth at 11.12 seconds. Spears was the top conference seed during the prelims.

Alfredo Folgar was fifth (4:05.13) and teammate Oswel Caal seventh (4:10.47) in the 1,500 meters.

PCC WOMEN PLACE 6TH AT SCC FINALS

The Lancers’ smaller women’s team finished sixth out of eight teams at the SCC Finals with 45.5 points.

Tenia Sebastian raced the state’s third fastest current time in finishing second in the 400 hurdles with a 1:03.62 mark.

Diane Lombardi raced to second in the 1,500 with a time of 4:54.63 and teammate Arielle Barragan-Steimer took fourth (4:58.63). Melissa Hadloc scored eighth (5:34.94). Lombardi also finished tied for fifth in the 800 at 2:24.57, far slower than her 2:20.02 that she ran during the prelims.

In the 5,000 meters, Elizabeth Lyons placed fourth at 19:09.99 while Barragan-Steimer was seventh (19:38.94).  Yvette Bastidas took sixth in the discus with a toss of 110-4.

Several PCC men and women will participate Saturday, May 5 in the Southern California Prelims Meet at San Diego Mesa College.

Release Date: 04/30/2012

Women’s Track Sebastian Qualifies for SoCal Finals

[Photo--Tenia Sebastian wins her 400 hurdles heat at the SoCal Prelims at San Diego Mesa College Saturday.]

Pasadena City College women’s sophomore Tenia Sebastian raced the third fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles May 5 at the Southern California Track and Field Prelims Meet held at San Diego Mesa College.

Sebastian’s 1:03.68 time won the second heat as she enters the SoCal Championships this Saturday, May 12 also at Mesa. College of the Canyons’ Jacqueline Keeley is the top seed in that event with a 1:02.49 prelims mark.

Sophomore Elizabeth Lyons placed 10th in the 10,000 meters finals with a 40:09.74 time. Lyons will race in the 5,000-meter finals. Diane Lombardi finished her freshman season with 16th place finishes in both the 800 (2:24.48) and 1,500 (5:00.65) races. Cassandra Lew took 20th in the 10,000 (43:12.11).

Arielle Barragan-Steimer was 22nd in the 1,500 (5:08.55). Yvette Bastidas was 18th in the discus. Sebastian and Lyons are the only PCC women remaining in their attempts to qualify for the CCCAA State Championships.

PCC MEN TRACK AND FIELD

Luis Dorantes scored five points for the Lancers men’s team with his fourth place finish in the 10,000 meters at the SoCal Prelims. Dorantes, who will race in the 5,000 meters this Saturday, ran a 31:27.66 time in the 10,000.

Throwers Khambrell Gomez and Caleb Wood are the only remaining PCC men to qualify for the SoCal Finals. Gomez was ninth in the shot put (13.95 meters). Wood scored 11th places in the javelin (49.90 meters) and discus (41.61 meters).

Gomez (40.48 meters in the discus) and Ismail Naeem (13.26 meters, triple jump) each missed out by a place of qualifying in their respective events with 13th place performances. Robert Pachorek was 14th in the long jump (6.70 meters). Alfredo Folgar placed 20th (4:11.30) and Oswel Caal 21st (4:11.69) in the 1,500 meters.

Release Date: 05/07/2012