(Irvine, CA) For the second time in three community college invitationals this season, the Mt. SAC Men's Cross Country Team took home first place on Friday September 5 in the Brubaker Invitational 4-mile run at the Irvine Regional Park.
With the first place, the Mounties firmly hold their top spot in the latest 5CTCA state rankings.
"They ran well and with confidence," Mt. SAC Men's Cross Country coach Daniel Ozan said.
In addition, sophomore runner Salvador Capetillo easily won the 4-mile event, his third overall title of the season.
Capetillo, who also won first place in the season-opening Mark Covert Classic (Open Division) and the Fresno Invite, blazed to a championship in the Brubaker Invite by over thirty six seconds. His time was 20:03.8.
"Last week at Stanford (against NCAA Div. I runners) it was a learning experience," Ozan added. "This week the whole unit collectively improved and had a great deal of personal success. Sal (Capetillo) had another great run and is gaining confidence week after week."
The Mounties had the five scoring runners all in the top 10 for a team total of 22 points. Cuyamaca and San Bernardino Valley colleges were a distant second (tied) with a score of 87 points each.
Amazingly, the second through fifth Mt. SAC runners placed third, fourth, fifth and ninth.
Finishing third through fifth was Chris Weiland, 3rd (20:48.2), Colby Penn, 4th (20:51.9) and Ralph Mendoza, 5th (20:54.1). The three of them finished six seconds apart.
This was the second time this season that the Mounties have accomplished a finish in a tight pact.
In the Fresno Invite earlier this season Weiland, Jose Melchor, Huerta and Penn finished in fourth through seventh place, all within 13 seconds of each other.
Luis Huerta was the fifth Mounties runner in the top 10, finishing ninth with a time of 21:13.9. There were 153 runners entered in the event, with Mt. SAC entering 25 runners.
Other Mounties finishing order, time:
Julian Serrano, 10th (21:14.3)
Melchor, 12th (21:20.8)
Isaiah Wilson, 20th (21:36.3)
Adrian Hernandez, Jr., 23rd (21:47.7)
Bryce Butler, 32nd (22:03.5)
The Mounties runners will next turn their sights to the 71st Brooks Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational on October 12 and 19-20. It is the largest in the world with over 10,000 runners representing elementary/middle school, high school and community college.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.