Sam Boyle continued his strong season for the Ventura College men's cross country team with an eighth place finish at the SoCal Regionals Friday in San Diego, qualifying him for the state meet to be held Nov. 21 in Fresno. Led by Jordyn Vassaur, the VC women qualified for state as a team with their 13th place finish in San Diego.
The regional championships were held Friday morning in San Diego's Mission bay Park, hosted by Cuyamaca College. The top 18 teams on the men's and women's races qualified for the CCCAA State Championships scheduled for Saturday Nov. 21 at Fresno's Woodward Park.
The women's team placed 13th overall to secure their fifth state meet appearance in six years. Vassaur's 26th place finish and lifetime best (19:59) lead the Pirates. Amanda Wendt (75th, 21:05), Kenna Perez (92nd, 21:28), Shannon McDermott (108th, 21:46), Dhanlay Morales (125th, 22:10), and Sofia Gallardo (182nd, 26.14) rounded out the Pirate scorers. All six women produced personal records on the grassy 5000 meter course.
The men's team was not so fortunate as they missed the final advancement spot by just five points, placing 19th overall. Despite the team disappointment, all seven men ran seasonal bests for the 4-mile course. Sam Boyle placed eighth overall (20:54) and garnered first team All-SoCal honors and will run in his first state meet. Boyle was chased to the finished by Christian Gil (124th, 23:06), Francisco Erazo (126th, 23:10), David Torres (131st, 23:15), Ronaldo Flores (146th, 23:35), Jose Tamayo (158th, 23:49), and Frank Chavez (160th, 23:56).
"Both squads left it all on the course, and I couldn't be any more pleased by their energy and effort," commented head coach, Tony Veney. "The women's race showed how tough the WSC is by advancing six of the 18 teams to the state meet.
"Sam continues to evolve into a fine cross country runner and his stock continues to rise."
The Pirates will hit the road for the state championships on Saturday Nov. 21 at Woodward Park in Fresno. The women's 5000 meters will begin at 10:00 am and the men's 4-mile race at 11:00 am.