Sophomores Lead Panthers In First Ever DeAnza "Duel" Meet
February 12, 2017
Over the last 10 years much of the Coast Conference conference team title success has changed hands between Hartnell College and DeAnza College. To highlight this ever increasing rivalry, the two decided to begin a yearly early season dual meet with Hartnell College playing host in the first edition on Friday. The Hartnell ladies split the event winners evenly with DeAnza but the Dons out tallied the Lady Panthers 90 to 58 on the strength of their field event competitors. The Dons handily beat the Panthers by winning 13 of the 18 events and scoring 110 points to the Panther men's 44 points. The Panther men are the defending Coast Conference champions where as the Lady Dons took last year's title.
For the Lady Panthers, they scored event winners in the 400 meters, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 4x100 relay, 100 hurdles, long jump and javelin throw. Sophomore Yvette Felix was a double event winner easily winning the 1500 meters in 5:06.03 and 3000 meters in 10:54.60. The longer performance is the best mark in Northern California. Frosh Haley Romero scored two wins her first collegiate competition winning the 100 meter hurdles (16.44) and long jump (17-7). The long jump mark is a state qualifying "B" performance. Fellow freshmen Sherise Robinson won the 400 meters (1:00.18) and Olivia Jimenez the 800 meters (2:29.85). The 4x100 meter relay team of Robinson, Romero, Leilani Russell, and Bailee Rusconi were victorious in their first opportunity to run together in 51.15. Sophomore Alyssa Pochop won the javelin (102-9).
Sophomores lead the Panther men taking to honors in the 800 meters, 1500m, 3000m and pole vault. Jorge Sanchez made his presence known in this early season meet speeding his way to a top Northern California mark in the 3000 meters (8:45.69). Eduardo Orozco became the first regional runner to eclipse the two minute barrier in the 800 meter run with his victory (1:58.33). Fellow King City alum Edgar Bonilla took the early season regional lead in the metric mile winning in 4:05.80. A state meet qualifier last spring, Norman Napolitano won the pole vault with a clearance of 14-5.The Panthers will head just down Highway One next weekend for the Monterey Peninsula College Open.
