(Riverside, CA) Competing at a longer distance than usual and against 4-year university programs, the Mt. SAC Men's Cross Country Team had a strong showing at the U.C. Riverside Cross Country Invitational (Saturday, September 15th), taking 9th overall (252 points) as a team in the invitational race of 21 teams. Individually, Salvador Capetillo placed eleventh among 172 runners with a time of 24:31.9 over the 8 kilometer course which is nearly a mile longer than the traditional community college course length of 4.0 miles.
The men's team is currently the top ranked team in the latest California Community College Cross Country and Track Coaches Association Poll (SEP 10).
After Capetillo, the next four Mountie finishers were: Jose Melchor, 47h (25:18.7); Christopher Weiland, 71st (25:40.6); Colby Penn, 76th (25:46.3) and Luis Huerta, 86th (25:53.4).
"It was a good overall day," replied Mt. SAC Men's Cross Country Coach Daniel Ozan. "Some of the guys in the 8K Invitational went out a little fast and hung on for about four miles.
"It was still a solid performance and (they) managed to beat a lot of Division I and Division II schools."
In the 8K CC Open Race, the Mounties finished tenth as a team, ahead of six universities and club teams. Vincent Orta was the highest finisher for the Mounties in 61st position (26:50.1). Nearly 200 runners competed in the race.
"In the Men's 8K, they did really well," Ozan said. "Each group worked together and helped each other get tons of personal records."
This Friday, September 21st, the Mounties will compete in the Golden West Invitational at Central Park in Huntington Beach.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.