Ruiz Runs to First Place Finish at SBVC Invitational
COC women's team finishes in second place, while men's team runs to a fifth place result.
Sophomore Jessica Ruiz ran to a first place finish time of 17:58.7 to help the Lady Cougars cross country program earn runner up status at last week's San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) Invitational.
Canyons had three runners finish in the top-20 on the 5K course, with freshmen Stephanie Martinez (18:10) and Celine Whitman (19:45.3) finishing fourth and 19th, respectively.
Chelsea Wells (20:16.6) placed 24th, while Chloe Doherty (21:18.1) finished 36th to form the COC top five.
COC's 70-event points trailed event winner and conference rival Glendale College (23), while outlasting third place L.A. Harbor College (84).
The COC men's team placed fifth among the field of 10 schools on the four-mile course.
Sophomore Jake Higdon was the top finisher for the Cougars with a time of 21:07.3 to place 12th.
Canyons then had a trio of runners finish among the next wave of competitors, with Christopher Ochoa (21:42.2), Cody Roelofson (21:43.7) and Mauricio La Plante (21:49.5) finishing back-to-back-to-back in 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Matthew de Jesus (23:10.4) rounded out the top-five with his 57th place finish.
The WSC Championships will be held Friday, Oct. 21, at Oxnard College.