Panther Men Third at Wildcat Cup
This year's annual Wildcat Cup was held at Yuba College in Marysville which will also play host to the Northern California Championship in May. The Wildcat Cup was created in 2019 as a friendly competition between programs with a connection to CSU Chico either through head coaches or assistant coaches who graduated from the NCAA DII institution. The Hartnell men last won the cup in 2020 as one the last meets held before the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's squad placed third with 124 points trailing conference foe DeAnza College in second and the winner for the second consecutive year, Modesto Junior College. The Panthers did enjoy competition victories from Ricky Diaz III and Esteban Deniz.
Ricky Diaz III won the 800 meters in a lifetime personal best 1:58.89. He also ran a lifetime best in the 1500 meters (4:02.69). Esteban Deniz won the 1500 meters with the only sub 4 minute clocking in the field (3:59.90). He also clocked 1:59.96 to break 2 minutes for the first time this season. Sophomore Joshua Riley ran two personal best in the same events going 4:10.23 and 2:03.20. Bernabe Munoz lead in the 400mIH with a two second best (61.67). Ramon Duran lowered his lifetime best in the 400m (52.57). Duran also ran anchor on the 4x100 meter relay team's season best 44.01. Duran combined with Javin Nair, Marco Espinoza-Morado, and Fabian Rodriguez.
In the field events, Nair cleared a lifetime best in the pole vault in Friday's competition (3.95m/12-11.50) with sophomore Eduardo Martinez at a season best 3.80/12-5.50. Freshman Ethan Lavina leaped beyond 43 feet for the second time out of three competition in the triple jump with his 13.22/43-4.50. Lavina also enjoyed a season best long jump 6.32/20-9. Tyler Bellem (11.26m/36-11.50), Orlando Dorado (11.16m/36-7.50), and Hugo Chayres (11.03m/36-2.25). Andy Ruiz lead in his season debut. He has an opening season mark in the discus of 35.10m/115-2 and 42.37m/139-0 in the hammer. Freshman Christopher Ruiz posted the second best javelin for the Panthers this season 36.37m/119-4.
The top javelin mark came in Zachary Sims debut in the decathlon. Sims threw a lifetime best 47.70m/156-6. That mark ranks him seventh in all of the region in the javelin. An unfortunate no mark in the discus portion kept him from posting a full score in the decathlon but the remaining nine marks will make him eligible for the Northern CA Decathlon Championship in April.
The Panthers will be home on Saturday, March 25th for the Gary Shaw Open. The meet will include a sophomore send-off and Alumni Social after the meet. For more information contact Head Coach Chris Zeped at czepeda@hartnell.edu .
