Glendale Community College’s Isayan captures 10K state championship

For the first time in more than a decade, a Glendale Community College men’s athlete captured an individual championship at the California Community College Athletic Assn. Track and Field Finals.

Sophomore Vahagn Isayan won the 10,000-meter run at Friday evening’s first day of the two-day, season-ending meet at San Diego Mesa College.

Isayan claimed the event in a mark of 31 minutes, 19.65 seconds, which was just under a second ahead of Saddleback runner-up Ulysses Orozco, who came in at 31:20.45. Riverside’s Dennis Gonzalez was third in 31:26.93.

Isayan won the Vaqueros’ first men’s title since Chris Wells-Anders captured the 800-meter run in 2003. Isayan is also his school’s first-ever men’s state 10K champion and 19th titlist in history.

The Vaqueros sophomore was seeded fourth in the event, started off slowly and was 11th out of the 12th-man field after the first of 25 laps.

Eventually, the race became a two-man competition between Orozco and Isayan, who finished sixth (32:03.63) and ninth (32:30.40), respectively, at last year’s meet at College of San Mateo.

Orozco led through most of the race before Isayan caught his fellow sophomore at the 22nd lap and pulled away to victory.

Though Isayan was Glendale’s only competitor on Friday, the Verdugo Hills High product garnered his team 10 points as Glendale is tied for third with San Mateo, trailing both Modesto (23) and Riverside (13).

Last season, the Glendale men finished 24th with 9.5 points.

Isayan will be back in action on Saturday as one of seven Glendale entrants.

Isayan is seeded seventh in the 5K in a loaded field that includes Orozco.

Glendale sophomore Jeremy Kimmer will compete in both the high jump and pole vault, while freshman Giselle Masedo is slated for the women’s 1,500-meter run, Crescenta Valley alumnus Matthew Manalo will take his shot in 1,500 and freshman Shane Thompson is set for the 5K, while the men’s 1,600-meter relay squad will close out the competition.