Canyons Track & Field Wins Eight Events at Vaquero Invite

The College of the Canyons track & field teams combined to win eight events at the 2017 Vaquero Classic Invitational hosted by Glendale College, highlighted by a sweep of the men's relay events and five first place finishes on the women's side.

The team of Leo Lambert III, Slade Cavallaro, Delon Buncio and Louis Eusebi clocked a time of 43.15 in the 4x100m relay to finish just ahead of San Bernardino Valley College (43.43) and Cuyamaca College (43.62). 

Later, it was the combination of Tochukwe Eze, Keion Broadus, Cavallaro and Lambert with a time of 3:20.28 to place first ahead of the team from El Camino College (3:20.63).

The COC men's relay teams have performed well all season, with 4x400m squad having finished first at four events, including two conference meets, already this season. 

Elsewhere, Weston Lombardo took first in the pole vault after clearing a height of 4.31m to represent the only individual first place finisher for the men's team. 

Canyons also performed well in the sprints, with Louis Eusebi taking fourth in the 100m (11.24), Blake Beeler finishing runner up in the 200m (22.34) and Cavallaro third in the 400m (49.90).

Beeler was also a fourth place finisher in the 400m (50.01).

Garrett Noltemeyer was COC's top competitor in the distance events, taking sixth in the 5000m (16:07.96) and fourth in the 3000m steeplechase (10:06.89). 

David Canchola (1.95m) and Marcel Sylvester (1.90m) finished third and fourth, respectively, in the high jump. Buncio also added a third place mark (6.45m) in the long jump.

The COC women's team also earned high marks in all areas of competition. 

Ariana Cooper took first in the 400h (1:05.96), finishing nearly a full second ahead of her next closest competitor. Cooper also earned a fifth place finish in the 100h (15.88) to trail the first place time of 15.44.

Díani Ellis was first in the 3000m steeplechase with her time of 11:26.81. Ellis also tied for sixth in the 5000m with teammate Alexandra Whitman (19:39.16). Jessica Ruiz finished fourth in the same event at 19:33.80.

Kaitlyn Matthews cleared a distance of 1.55m to finish first in the high jump, one spot ahead of teammate Dana Bowers (1.45m) in second place.

Bowers had a big day for the Cougars, also taking first in the shot put (12.20m), second in the javelin (32.75m), fifth in the hammer throw (27.66m) eighth in the discus (26.92m).

Likewise, Samiyah Hawkins was first in the discus (40.15m), third in the shot put (12.20m) and fourth in the hammer throw (32.70m).

Keyana Session recorded a mark of 10.34m in the triple jump to finish third, and also teamed with Cooper, Tayler Stiverson and Jasmine Hall to a fourth place time of 51.94 in the 4x100m relay.

The team of Cooper, Celeste Gonzalez, Sophia Stephan and Hall finished fourth in the 4x400m relay at 4:17.01.

Canyons will next compete at the Beach Invitational on the campus of California State University, Long Beach on April 14-15.