Cougars Sweep WSC Inland Meet, Combine for 17 First Place Finishes

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. — College of the Canyons swept the Western State Conference (WSC) Inland Meet at Bakersfield College on Saturday, with the men's and women's track & field teams sprinting to a combined 17 first place finishes to win the meet outright on both sides. 

The Canyons men's team edged out a 144-142 victory over Glendale in a field that also included host Bakersfield (116), Santa Monica College (75) and Antelope Valley College (60).

COC's women's squad dominated the field with a 192-112 victory over second place Glendale, followed by Bakersfield (84), Santa Monica (42) and AVC (25).

Both team victories represented a season-best result for the Cougars. The men's team had finished second in each of its three conference meets, while the women's team previously finished third at the WSC North meet on Feb. 23. 

Cougar highlights on Saturday included the performance turned in by the men's sprinters. COC took the first two spots in the 100m with Calel Christian (11.25) and Steven Arrington (11.31) leading the pack.

It was more of the same in both the 200m and 400m events, with COC taking the top four positions in both races.

Arrington (22.37), Leo Lambert III (22.56), Blake Beeler (22.65) and Hasani Fields (23.48) were the first to finish in the 200m.

Later, it was Lambert (49.49), Slade Cavallaro (50.80), Blake Beeler (51.26) and Aaron Sooknanan (51.36) sweeping the first four spots in the 400m.

The 4x400m relay team of Arrington, Beeler, Lambert and Cavallaro also took first at a pace of 3:23.62.

Cavallaro added to his day with a victory in the 400h at a time of 54.65. Marcel Sylvester's leap of 1.93m in the high jump also took first, as did the throw of 44.22m turned in by Hudson Maxwell in the javelin.

COC's women's squad won a combined nine events to easily outpace the field. Sydni Jordan was a part of three of those victories, winning the 100m (13.28) and helping both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams reach the front of the pack.

Jordan was joined by Amber Gatewood, Alicia Hurst and Takaira Beard in posting a time of 50.65 in the 4x100m.

Gatewood, Brianna Helsley, Jordan and Sophia Stephan clocked in at 4:22.35 in the 4x400m.

Stephan also won the 800m with a time of 2:26.59, while Helsley was first in the 400h at 1:10.66. 

Megan Carbajal won the 100h, finishing in 17.81, and also finished first in the long jump at 4.97m.

Beard topped the field in the high jump at 1.50m and came back to win the triple jump at a mark of 10.27m. She rounded out her day with a victory in the javelin after throwing for a distance of 27.43m.

Canyons will send individual athletes to the SoCal Heptathlon/Decathlon events April 3-4 at Cerritos College, then regroup for team completion at the upcoming Vaquero Invite hosted by Glendale on April 7.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.