Canyons Track & Field Sweeps WSC North Meet

The College of the Canyons track & field program swept last week's Western State Conference (WSC) North meet hosted by Ventura College, with both the men's and women's squads returning home as champions. 

The Cougars placed first in a combined 10 events, with the men's and women's teams claiming five titles on each side. COC student-athletes also came home with 10 second place finishes on the day. 

The victory was the second in as many meets for the Lady Cougars, who also emerged as event champions at the annual 'Battle of the Regions' meet hosted by Bakersfield College on Feb. 10.

COC's women's team totaled 157 event points to outlast host Ventura (116.5) and third place Bakersfield College (95).

On the men's side, the Cougars finished with a mark of 143.5 to outlast Bakersfield College (111) and Cuesta College (100).

Also competing at the meet were Santa Barbara City College, Allan Hancock College, and Cuesta College.

COC sophomore Jasmine Hall was one of the most decorated Cougars of the meet, finishing first in the high jump (1.68m), 100h (15.18) and javelin (34.33m). 

Hall also ran anchor on COC's 4x100m relay team, joining Ariana Cooper, Celeste Gonzalez and Sophia Stephan to record a second place time of 4:18.81.

Cooper was a first place finisher in the 400h with a time of 1:09.04, and took third in the 100h at 16.35.

Keyana Session was the final event winner on the women's side, taking first in the triple jump with a leap of 10.30m.

COC's second place finishers included Kaitlyn Matthews (high jump/1.60m), Samiyah Hawkins (discus/35.35m), Stephanie Martinez (3,000m/10:52.58), Jessica Ruiz (1,500m/4:55.58) and Dana Bowers (shot put/10.89m).

COC freshman Leo Lambert III was also a three-event winner, taking first in the 400m with a time of 49.17 and later helping the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams finish in front.

In the 4x100m Lambert, Delon Bencio, Slade Cavallaro and Louis Eusebi ran to a time of 43.36.

Later, in the 4x400m the combination of Cavallaro, Buncio, Tochukwe Eze and Lambert found more first place success after being clocked at 3:26.2.3.

Lambert, who is also a running back on the COC football team, sprinted to a second place time of 22.45 in the 200m to round out his day.

Buncio claimed an individual event championship with a first place mark of 6.81m in the long jump. Buncio followed up that effort with a measurement of 12.70m to take third in the triple jump. 

Likewise, Cavallaro took first place in the 400h at a time of 58.63.

COC sophomore Zach Larson picked up a pair of second place finishes in the 100h (16.19) and 400h (58.95).

Eric Sachs threw for a second place distance of 44.16m in the javelin and Travis Larson posted a time of 1:59.76 to finish second in the 800m.

Canyons returns to action at the two-day California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) Invitational March 3-4. Friday's throwing events will be held at Cerritos College. On Saturday, the action will then shift back to Jesse Owens Track on the campus of CSULA.

—Story by Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information