Cougars Run to Postseason with Strong Finish at WSC Championships

Stock group shot image of College of the Canyons women's cross country at WSC Championships on Oct. 20, 2023.
Results
October 22, 2023

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

WOODLAND HILLS — College of the Canyons will continue its 2023 run into the postseason, after seeing both its men's and women's teams finish in the top five at Friday's Western State Conference (WSC) Championship meet held at the campus of L.A. Pierce College.

COC's men's team finished fourth in the field of 11 teams to record its best finish at the WSC Championships since the 2019 season. Bakersfield College (21) won the conference title followed by Glendale College (76), Ventura College (104), Canyons (116) and Moorpark (143) across the top five spots. 

Sophomore Sam Regez was the top individual finisher for the Cougars after turning in a time of 23:29.8 on the strenuous four-mile course which featured varying degrees of incline throughout. 

Cesar Tobar, Jack Eaton and Nathaniel Wilkinson were next to score for Canyons, combining with Regez to run near the front of the field of more than 110 runners. 

Tobar was 19th overall at 24:00.7 with Eaton close behind at a pace of 24:02.5 in 22nd. Wilkinson at 24:20.9 took 24th in the final regular season run of the year. Jerome Hiughes was 41st of finishing at 24:20.9 to represent the final scoring runner. 

Fernando Osorio (46th/25:55.4) and Juan Jimenez-Rojas (59th/26:44.9) also ran for the Cougars.

The Canyons women's team finished fifth in the team standings. Glendale (50) was the conference champion ahead of Allan Hancock College (82), Oxnard College (97), Ventura (104) and COC (106).

Once more it was Katelyn Catu leading the way at a time of 20:24.9 on the 5K version of the course, good for 15th in the field of more than 65.

Similar to the men's side, it was Catu with Kaiya Cortinas and Emily Cruz running close together throughout. Cortinas finished 20th at 21:21.7 with Cruz close on her heels at 22nd after posting a time of 21:44.4.

Emily Valdez in 31st at 23:18 and Emily Fairbanks in 35th at 23:42.1 rounded out the scoring for COC.

With its season extended, Canyons will now prep for the upcoming 3C2A Championships to be held Friday, Nov. 3 at El Dorado East Regional Park in Long Beach. Race time are scheduled for 10 and 11 a.m. but are subject to change. 

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 X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.