Ruelas and Salazar Pace Panthers at DVC HOF Classic

Competing for the first time this season with fair weather, the Hartnell Panther women produced some of the best marks in the state at the Diablo Valley College Hall of Fame Classic in Concord. The meet attracted many of the top programs in Northern California. Top marks for Northern California were produced in the 1500 meters and 3000 meters. Several new Northern California provisional marks were also reached for the Panthers.

Sophomore Monica Ruelas was hoping for a rematch from last fall's Northern California cross country championship with host school's Julia Gonzalez but was left with solo efforts with Ruelas in the 1500 and 3000 meters. Ruelas established a new 1500 meter personal best and dipped under the 5:00 barrier for the first time with her win in 4:57.18. She moves to #15 in program history and #1 in Northern California. Ruelas lowered her personal best by nearlyl 6 seconds in her first attempt at the distance. She also took the victory and established the top mark in the region in the 3000 meters in 10:52.87. The mark is the #14 mark in program history and she helped teammate Daniela Salazar to an identical mark and #15 all-time. Salazar was also second in the 1500 meters in 5:06.66. The Panthers took the top four spots in the 1500 meters lead by Ruelas and Salazar and followed by frosh Isabelle Torres (5:11.19) and Maria Aceves (5:13.89). That pair finished with personal bests in the 3000 meters as well at 11:15.35 and 11:16.69. Sophomore Lauryn Orozco is returning to form with a solo 5:20.50 in her heat of the 1500 meters. Sophomore Veronica Aguilar ran an early season best in the 400 meters at 62.58 which ranks her top 8 in Northern California. Anesa Vanderlipe improved her long jump to 4.61m in preparation for the heptathlon. As did Shaelynne Smith in the shot put to 7.22m. Vanderlipe, Smith Aguilar along with sophomore Dakota Peebles toured the track in the 4x100 meter relay to a season best 52.59. Alyssa Pena set a personal best in just her second hammer throw competition at 32.28m. 

The Panthers will compete next in a unique competition on March 2. The Wildcat Cup will feature the Panthers, host Chabot College, Santa Rosa JC, Yuba College, and Cuesta College, all programs with head coaches that graduated from CSU Chico and were members of the Chico Wildcat Track & Field program.