Panther Men Victorious in Return of Coast Championship

The 2022 Coast Conference men's team title was not decided until the second to last event but it can also be said that all the previous events and the placings had a say in what would be a surprise victory for the the Hartnell men. The Panthers outlasted their conference rival DeAnza college 234.5 to 230.5. Only one other program managed to score over 100 points. Esteban Deniz and Francisco Maciel picked up individual victories to help with the victory with Maciel's providing a much-needed two point swing before the final event of the meet. Deniz won the 1500 meters in 4:03.21 to lead a Panther sweep of the top six places giving the Panthers 36 points in that event alone. Maciel shocked Evan Franco of DeAnza College by retaking the lead off the final turn in the 5000 meters to win in 15:18.59 enough for a 1.5 second victory. 

Placing second overall were Isaac Gensel in the 1500 meters in 4:03.24, Ricky Diaz III in the 800 meters (2:01.46), and Manuel Gallardo in the discus (43.10m). Francisco Maciel was second in the 3k steeplechase in 9:47.86. Teammate Daniel Pantoja was third but more importantly picked up the State "A" in a season best 9:51.45. That mark ranks him fourth in Northern California. 

Gensel was also third in the 800 meters (2:02.63) and 5000 meters (15:30.26), with Ashton Headley taking third in the discus (41.30m), and Ramon Duran bronze in the 400mIH (59.25). The men's 4x400 relay of Duran, Jesse Mandujano, Arturo Ponce and Eduardo Martinez were third in the 4x400 relay. 

The last conference championship to be contested was in 2019 when the Hartnell men finished second. The Panthers will start this decade of competition with the first team title after picking up six of the ten titles last decade. 

The Panthers will move on to the regional trials on Friday, May 6th hosted by Chabot College. Events needing a trials to get to the championship field size will be contested along with the 10,000 meter fina.