Canyons Cross Country Runs at WSC Championships, Both Teams Advance
By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director
MOORPARK — College of the Canyons finished runner-up in the women's standings while the men's squad placed sixth at the Western State Conference (WSC) Championships held at Arroyo Vista Park on Friday.
COC sophomore Victoria Jamison placed third overall at a time of 18:50.4 to lead the women's contingent. The Cougars featured its top four scoring runners in the top 16 of a championship field that included 68 runners from nine programs.
Jazlene Herreres (13th/20:37.8) and Lilianna Moreira (14th/20:42) finished the 5K course in near tandem, with Alyssa Arriaga (16th/20:52.6) just a few steps behind.
Ruby Salazar was the last to score (31st/22:09.3) for a Canyons team that finished with 72 event points to place behind conference champions Moorpark College (44).
Bakersfield College (94), Cuesta College (99) and Allan Hancok (123) rounded out the top five of the team standings.
Andrea Fernandez (33rd/22:13.7) and Giselle Ruiz (34th/22:16.2) also competed for the Cougars but were scratched from the final scoring totals.
Jamison, Herreres and Moreira all earned All-WSC First-Team honors based on their results at the conference championships.
Arriaga was an All-WSC Second Team honoree with Salazar, Fernandez and Ruiz each recognized as Honorable Mention selections.
On the men's side, COC had two runners finish in the top seven of the field.
Josue Lopez was first to complete the four-mile course with a posted time of 20:55.8, good for fifth overall. Alejandro Cueto needed 21:04.2 to complete the course and slot into the seventh-place position.
Canyons was also aided by Nathan Parras (32nd/22:15.9), Noah Flores (50th/ 23:12.3) and Cody Shirley (52nd/23:20.3) in its final team scoring.
Lopez and Cueto were both All-WSC First-Team selections, with Parras earning an Honorable Mention recognition.
Moorpark (44) won the men's championship to sweep the meet. Cuesta (88), Bakersfield (89), Glendale College (114) and Allan Hancok (123) represented the field's top five, with Canyons (135) next in sixth place.
The Cougars also entered Neil Aspert (56th/23:36), Josh Smith (65th/24:54.6), Jacob Franco (70th/25:11.4), Carlos Villa Moreno (73rd/25:56.6) and N. Sawyer (77th/26:21.9) in the meet, which marked the end of the regular season.
Based on its result at the conference championships, Canyons will next see both teams compete at the 3C2A Southern California Championships on Friday, Nov. 7, at Liberty Station in San Diego.
Women's Results (5K):
V. Jamison (3rd –18:50.4); Herreres (13th – 20:37.8); L. Moreira (14th–20:42); A. Arriaga (16th – 20:52.6); R. Salazar (31st – 22:09.3); A. Fernandez (33rd – 22:13.7); G. Ruiz (34th-22:16.2)
Men's Results (4-mile)
J. Lopez (5th-20:55.8); A. Cueto (7th – 21:04.2); N. Parras (32nd-22:15.9); N. Flores (50th – 23:12.3); C. Shirley (52nd – 23:20.3); N. Aspert (56th – 23:36); J. Smith (65th – 24:54.6); J. Franco (70th-25:11.4); C. Moreno (73rd – 25:56.6); N. Sawyer (77th – 26:21.9); S. Easterbrook (DNF)
Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
—Photo by Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information
