Panther Women Dominate Norcal Preview Meet

The Hartnell College women have dominated Northern California competition since 2010. The Panthers have amassed five team titles and recorded the two lowest team scores in the championship the last two regional meets held. The pandemic canceled last fall's edition and with a year to regroup and prepare, the Panthers appear primed for a program record three consecutive team titles. 

Sophomore Valeria Lozano-Gomez was the top freshman in 2019 placing fourth at the Northern Californa Championship and earn All-American honors for a ninth place finish at the CCCAA State Championship. The pandemic provided its challenges for the former North Salinas High School grad but she's entering her final cross country season as the team's leader. Over the three mile course at Sierra College, Lozano-Gomez jumped out to an early lead that continued to grow each mile. When she crossed the line in first, she was the only runner in the field to cover it in under 20 minutes and had won by 19 seconds. Teammate Sofia Camacho showed improvement from her first race getting out aggressively and hanging on for fifth in 20:28. Fellow freshman Karla Herrera stayed within the top three for the the Panthers and was seventh (21:03). Freshman Ashley Ochoa found the woodland trails of Sierra College and enjoyed her best race as a Panther in twelfth (21:21). Sophomore returner Mariah Changco held on for a top 14 medal in fourteenth. CSUMB tranfer Jazmin Mora held on for eighteenth and MPC transfer Daniela Ramirez stepped up as seventh runner. Freshman Andrea Villegas would place 25th after a very aggressive start. The Panther women scored just 30 points to beat second place Clovis Community College with 53 points. 

The Panther will compete next at the Chabot Twilight 3k on Friday, September 24th. This will be a unique opportunity to race a 3000m on the track during the cross country season.