Headley and Ruelas Lead Panthers in Season Debut

The Hartnell College men's and women's track & field teams had not competed together since March 6, 2020 but returned to action after nearly a two year layoff at the Jim Linthicum Invitational hosted by DeAnza College on Friday and Saturday. The Panthers eased back into competition but produced several outstanding marks by Ashton Headley and Roxana Ruelas.

Freshman Ashton Headley, a graduate of King City High School, kicked off the action for the Panthers on Friday with the hammer competition. Headley won by nearly 20 feet throwing a lifetime best 47.81m (156'10") and books his CCCAA State Championship ticket with his first official hammer throw as a Panther. That mark is the early state leader by over a foot and moves Headley to #8 all-time. . Headley also placed third in the shot put at 12.64m (41'5.75") and fourth in the discus with a mark of 40.37m (132'5"). He also has qualified provisionally in those two events for the Northern California Championship. 

Fellow freshman Roxana Ruelas from Everett Alvarez High School will carry much of the load this first season in the hurdles but debuted over the flat distances to start her career. Ruelas placed second in the 400 meters in 61.12 which met the provisional qualifying for the regional championship in that event. She also placed fourth in the 200 meters with a lifetime best 27.41. Much of Ruelas high school career was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic but she showed tremendous promise running 46.60 in the 300mLH as a sophomore. 

North Monterey County graduate Lorraine Mankins scored a state auto mark in winning the pole vault. Mankins cleared 3.00m (9'10") to take the early Coast Conference and Norcal regional lead. Mankins moves into a tie for seventh best all-time with Jillian Browy (2003). Isabelle Torres returned to competition for the first time since 2020 to win the 3000 meters in a personal best 10:34.86. In 2020, Torres 10:59.05 in the final meet before the pandemic shut down and now moves to ninth best all-time. Freshman Karla Herrera won her heat of the 800 meters in a close affair in 2:31.84 to placed second overall in the meet. That mark ranks her third in the Northern California. In the 1500 meters, freshman Andrea Villegas was second in 5:14.98. Mercedes Rosales-Rivera tied in the high jump at 1.40m (4'7"). Isabella Reimann, an international student from Austria, earned a Norcal Provisional in shot put with a debut of 10.60m (34'9.50"). Freshman Katelyn Strader, the Pajaro Valley Athlete of the Year in 2019-2020, hit the provisional in the hammer in her first competition with 38.13m (125'1"). That mark is good for tenth best all-time. She also was second in the discus at 31.75m (104'2"). 

For the men, freshman Isaac Gensel produced the Norcal leading mark in the 3000 meters winning in 8:39.85. He pulled Francisco Maciel to second (8:46.05) and Esteban Deniz third (8:51.23). Manuel Gallardo added a lifetime best in the hammer to place second to teammate Headley. Gallardo, who last competed for the Panthers in 2018, tossed the hammer 38.98m (127'11") He was also third in the discus with 41.43m (135'11") which qualified provisional for the regional meet to cap is return to competition. Zachary Sims was fourth in the triple jump 12.14m (39'10") and long jump 6.32m (20'9"). 

The Panthers will return to action on Saturday, February 26th at the Norcal Preview Meet hosted by Chabot College.