(Cerritos, CA) The defending California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Champion Mt. SAC Women's Cross Country Team inched one step closer the state championships, taking second place at the Southern California Regional Championships. Twenty six community colleges and 177 runners participated in the championships held on Friday (11/03), at the Don Knabe Community Regional Park in Cerritos (CA). 

The Mounties, along with the other top 14 teams, advance to the CCCAA State Championships which will be held on Saturday, November 17^th at Fresno's Woodward Park.      

Conference rival, L.A. Harbor College placed three runners in the top 10, taking the championship with 53 points followed by Mt. SAC with 110 points and Glendale with 122 points.

Leading the way for Mt. SAC was Rebecca Ruiz who finished fourth with a time of 17:48.9. The sophomore averaged 5:44 per mile in the 5 kilometer race and was one of only four women to finish under the 18-minute mark.

"We're happy we got second, but we have one more chance to break though and show what we're made of," said Ruiz. "We have a talented team. We're fit and good enough to be up there."

Freshman Sadie Encinas placed ninth for the Mounties with a time of 18:15.1.

On what the team learned from the So Cal's, Encinas commented"……..I think we tried to be more aggressive this time. We're still building it up. We hopefully learned from our mistakes and hope to do better (at state)."

Other Mt. SAC Runners:

• Montserrath Celis, 23^rd (18:57.3)
• Alyssa Armendariz, 30^th (19:12.9)
• Andrea Diaz, 47^th (19:47.6)
• Evelyn Peralta, 73^rd (20:28.1)
• Yesenia Flores, 76^th (20:30.3)

Interviews courtesy of Runnerspace.com.

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.