Panther Men Win Wildcat Cup

The annual Chico Wildcat Cup brings together California Community College programs that have close ties the strong track & field tradition at NCAA DII Chico State. Participating programs Cuesta College, Chabot College, Hartnell College, Modesto College, Yuba College, and Santa Rosa College are all lead by former Chico State alums. Last year's friendly team competition was won by Hartnell College for the women and Santa Rosa Junior College for the men. The Panther men would finally bring home their first Wildcat Cup in the 2020 edition hosted Friday by Cuesta College. The women placed fifth behind first time winner Modesto Junior College but did have an event winner in Daniela Salazar. 

For the men, the performance of the day was by freshman Hiroki Terada who won his second 200 meter race of his fledgling Hartnell career. His mark of 21.91 was nearly a half second personal best and bested second placce by almost three tenths of a second. His mark was good enough to move him into fourth best in Northern California. He was also part of the victorious 4x100 meter relay team along with De'Antae Williams, Jeffrey Weimer, and Tim Hunter. They improved to 42.81, good enough for the State "B" mark and fifth best in Northern California. Terada also ran 11.35 in his 100 meter debut. Williams enjoyed a solid day taking the 100 meter victory with his first sub eleven clocking of his final season. Hunter won the open 400 meters in 50.87. Weimer got under the provisional mark in the 200 meters with a lifetime best 22.66 in his first season of track. Frosh Andrew Lopez lowered his lifetime best in the 200 meters to 22.86, flirting with the 22.76 provisional qualifying mark. Sophomore Juan Gutierrez III was a double winner. He finished four seconds head of teammates Isaac Gensel and Joseph Loredo in the 1500 meters in 4:07.25. Gensel (4:11.04) and Loredo (4:12.25) both recorded season bests. Following them was frosh Daniel Correa at 4:13.29 to meet the regional provisional mark. Gutierrez covered the two lap 800 meter race in 2:00.16 followed by Loredo (2:03.27) and Arturo Ponce (2:05.04). Gensel won the 3000 meters in thrilling fashion storming the final 100 meters to clock 9:06.72 to beat a runner from Cuesta College by 0.16 seconds. Correa was third in a lifetime best 9:09.24. Sophomore Luis Perez showed promise his freshman year in 2018 running 9:17 and 15:38 early in the season before injury. It has been two years since he's run a personal best but was rewarded in fourth with 9:16.75. Freshman Jesse Mandujano debuted in the 400 hurdles (1:00.43). Ven Limosnero improved in the triple jump to 12.37m and cleared 1.70m in his first high jump. Freshman Pablo Villasenor put the 16 lb shot to a personal best 12.67m. 

The Panthers will go south to kick off spring break at the Occidental College Spring Break Distance Carnival and Invitational on Saturday, March 14th.