Riverside, Calif. – The Mt. SAC Men's Track and Field Team competed at the RCC Early Bird Invitational on February 13, placing third overall out of 10 schools with 122 points. Host Riverside City College claimed the team title with 244.50 points, while San Diego Mesa finished second with 147.
Mt. SAC made a major statement in the 600 meters, sweeping the top three spots. Tatian Wien led the charge with a first-place finish in 1:24.38, followed by Alexander Plummer in second at 1:25.89 and Jacob Duregger in third at 1:26.82, giving the Mounties an early boost in the team standings.
On the track, Taiyo Ishiguro added points in the 60-meter hurdles with a third-place finish in 8.76. The sprint relay squad of Vincent Bachofner, Brandon Le, Dominic Lopez, and Aivan Sampaga placed third in the 4x100 relay with a time of 43.77, earning a "B" standard mark. The 4x400 relay team of Dane Barker, Ryan English-Gomez, Jayson Franco-Magdaleno, and Caleb Garcia also secured third place, crossing the line in 3:25.09.
The Mounties found victory in the 4x800 relay, where Dillon Hightower, Alfredo Vargas, Ethan Hufnagel, and Andrew Silva combined for a first-place finish in 8:01.71. The distance medley relay team of Brady Roldan, Dane Barker, Jonah Botello, and Luis Soto added another podium performance, finishing third in 10:38.10.
In the field events, Ja'Len Taylor cleared 6' 6.75" in the high jump to take second place while hitting multiple qualifying benchmarks, including the "B" standard, "A" standard and the Southern California regional standard.
In the pole vault, Caleb Garcia soared to first place with a vault of 15' 0", earning both "A" and "B" standards, while Jinhong Yang placed second at 13' 5.25".
With multiple event victories, podium finishes, and several early-season qualifying marks secured, the Mounties are on their way to a strong season.
NEXT UP:
The Mounties will return to their home track to host the Mt. SAC Kamaka Open beginning Thursday, February 19. The meet honors legendary former Mt. SAC Track and Field Head Coach Ron Kamaka, who passed away in 2022 and left a lasting impact on the program. Competing on their home turf, the Mounties will look to compete with excellence as they honor his legacy.
STAY CONNECTED:
Follow Mt. SAC Track and Field on Twitter @MtSAC_Track or Instagram /mt.sac_track_and_field/
Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on Twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics
For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.