Canyons Opens Season at Bakersfield 'Battle of the Regions'
COC fared well in all event categories, with Cougars taking home eight first place finishes in a combination of sprints, distance, throwing, jumping and relay events. Women's team finished first at the meet, and men's team was third.
The College of the Canyons track & field program saw its first action of the spring at last week's Battle of the Regions meet hosted by Bakersfield College, with the men's and women's teams combining for eight first place finishes on the day.
Canyons fared well in all event categories, with Cougars taking first place in a combination of sprints, distance, throwing, jumping and relay events.
COC's women's team won the meet with a score of 134 on the day. Moorpark College finished second at 102 and host Bakersfield was third with 86 points.
Cougar sophomore Jasmine Hall won the 200m with a time of 26.73, and also took first place in the javelin with a throw of 31.28m.
Canyons also dominated the 800m and 1500m events. COC sophomore Lexi Whitman ran to a second place time of 2:32.27 in the 800m, and was trailed by teammates Díani Ellis (2:32.53) and Jessica Ruiz (2:35.30) in third and fourth place, respectively.
COC runners followed suit in the 1500m event with Whitman (5:05.16), Ruiz (5:05.67), Stephanie Martinez (5:06.07) and Ellis (5:06.96) taking the two through five spots.
Martinez also placed first in the 3000m with a time of 11:07.20.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Matthews took first place in the high jump with a mark of 1.57m. In the triple jump it was Keyana Session with a jump of 10.15m in first place.
Sophomore Samiyah Hawkins won the shot put with a throw of 11.65m. Hawkins also placed second in the discus at 33.28m.
On the men's side COC finished third with 92.5 event points. That total trailed second place Bakersfield (96) and event champion Moorpark (152.5).
Canyons freshman Slade Cavallaro won the men's 400h with a time of 1:00.7.
The men's 4x400m relay team of Delon Buncio, Leo Lambert III, Connor Holcomb and Keion Broadus also took first after clocking in at 3:32.15.
COC's 4x100m relay team of Lambert, Buncio, Louis Eusebi and Holcomb finished second at 43.82. Bakersfield placed first at 43.32.
Broadus was also a second place finisher in the 400m at a mark of 51.21.
Travis Larson took second in the 800m with a time of 2:02.16. Zachary Larson was second in the 100h at 17.15. Eric Sachs also placed second in the javelin after his top throw of 39.93m.
Canyons will return to Bakersfield on Friday, Feb. 24, to compete in the first conference meet of the season.
— Story by Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information