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Track and Field: Several Pirates shine at OEC Championships
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Wednesday, April 23, 2008
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COSTA MESA -- While the majority of track and field athletes were preparing to qualify for the Orange Empire Conference Championship finals this past Friday, there were also some finals taking place and several Pirate performers didn't disappoint.
On the women's side, the distance running combination of Crystal Reed and Cassie Mitchell continued to set the pace for the Pirates and the rest of the OEC for that matter.
Reed, this year's state cross country champion, added the title "10,000-meter Orange Empire Conference Champion" to her resume by placing first with a time of 36 minutes, 20.36 seconds. Mitchell came in second with a time of 39:27.51, giving OCC the only two runners in the event with times under 40 minutes.
Mitchell's 10,000 run came after a successful 3,000 steeplechase race earlier in the day. The freshman led the way with a winning time of 11:22.33, highlighting a 1-2-3-4 finish in the event for the Pirates. Close behind Mitchell were teammates Claire Fleming (12:12.78), Heather Cannioto (13:18.26) and Jessica Ramseier (13:39.55).
Pirate sophomore shot putter Maryn Ciarelli topped the OEC pack with a winning throw of 37 feet, 1 1/2 inches, topping the rest of the field by nearly 3 feet.
Other top-six performances for the OCC women include Brenda Finney in the long jump (second place, 16-11), Tamara Beardsley in the hammer throw (fourth, 123-11) and Ana Rodriguez in the pole vault (sixth, 7-11).
On the men's side, several top-eight finals performances were turned in by the Pirates, including Chris Ponce in the 10,000 (fifth, 34:09.42) and the 3,000 steeplechase (third, 10:12.44), Nick St. Andre in the 10,000 (sixth, 34:48.07), Alfonso Silvas in the 3,000 steeplechase (fourth, 10:18.36), Evan Campbell in the long jump (sixth, 22-4), Chris Macke in the long jump (seventh, 22-2), Stephan Ruby in the shot put (fourth, 44-7 3/4) and hammer throw (sixth, 134-1) and Scott Ruud in the shot put (seventh, 41-6 1/2) and hammer throw (third, 141-8 3/4).
The finals for all remaining OEC events will take place on Friday at Orange Coast College, beginning at noon.
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