GCC Track and Field Preview: Vaqueros success will depend on key athletes to lead teams
In track and field, Glendale Community College Coach Eddie Lopez is able to create something that has eluded him in cross-country.
The gap between the Vaqueros women’s and men’s cross-country teams is somewhat big, especially coming off a state championship for the ladies and a sixth-place finish for the men. However, in track, both squads were nearly even last season and aren’t too far apart again as the 2016 campaign begins Friday.
“We’re going to be led by the distances in both men’s and women’s teams,” “Lopez said, “but we’ll have a few athletes who will stand out in the sprints and in field events. It should be a good year.”
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Last season, the men finished fifth in the Western State Conference with 89 points, 14th at the Southern California Championships with 22.5 points and 24th in state with 9.5 points.
The women were fourth in conference with 111 points, 14th in Southern California with 23 points and 22nd in state with 15 points.
While the women slightly edged the men last season, perhaps the biggest returner for either side is sophomore Jeremy Kimmer.
The Canyon High product won a Southern California pole vault championship last year at Cerritos College with a mark of 15 feet, 10 inches (4.83 meters). Kimmer followed up that effort by tying for fourth at the state finals at College of San Mateo with a height of 15-4 1/24.
“He’s improved from last year and has a chance to win state,” Lopez said. “He’s going to be our guy in the field events and we should get some points from our distances.”
Outside of Kimmer, the Vaqueros also have a potential big scorer in Vahagn Isayan.
The sophomore is coming off a cross-country season in which he won the Western State Conference title, placed fourth (20 minutes, 44.7 seconds) at the Southern California championships and third in state in 20:17 en route to All-American honors.
“Vahagn has turned into a real leader on this team,” Lopez said. “I’m expecting a big year in track.”
Isayan finished eighth in Southern California in the 10,000-meter run in 31:55.87 and was ninth in the 5K (15:27.37) last year.
“My goal this year is to win a state championship,” Isayan said. “I’ve been working hard to get there and I have a lot of confidence thanks to cross-country.”
Freshman Shane Thompson of Burroughs is expected to be a solid contributor in the 5K and may also see action in the 10K.
As for the sprints and relays, Lopez is happy with the progress of sophomore Andrew Castaneda, a member of last year’s Southern California third-place 400-meter relay team (41.75).
Castaneda will also compete in the 1,600-meter relay, in the 100 and 400 sprints and may also try the long jump again.
On the ladies’ side, the Vaqueros will lean heavily on three distances runners who were members of the state cross-country title team.
Freshmen Leana Setian, of Glendale High and Clark Magnet School, Giselle Masedo and Brenda Sanchez will have to rack up the points for the Vaqueros.
All three earned All-American honors during the cross-country season as Setian finished sixth (18:25.9), Sanchez earned 11th (18:39.6) and Masedo took 12th (18:40) at the state finals.
Masedo won’t be competing in the distances, though, as she’s slated to run in the 400 and 800 along with being a leg in the 1,600-meter relay.
“I can do both distances and sprints and I love both cross-country and track,” Masedo said. “My goal this year is to get my [personal-best time] from 2:18 to 2:15 in the 800. I think I can do it.”
Setian is expected to battle in the 5K and 10K alongside Sanchez.
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Andrew J. Campa, andrew.campa@latimes.com
Twitter: @campadresports
