Glendale Community College men’s track team takes home title

Competing in windy and dry conditions didn’t seem to have an effect on the Glendale Community College men’s and women’s track and field teams during the Western State Conference championships.

Glendale brushed aside the elements and turned the event into a banner day highlighted by the men’s team winning the conference team title for the first time since 2014.

Glendale also won a combined five individual titles Friday at Moorpark College.

The men’s team, which finished with 147 points, got first-place efforts from Paulo Vazquez in the 800-meter race in 1 minute 56.90 seconds and Alejandro Ambrosso in the 5,000 (15:48.09).

The women’s squad, which placed fifth with 65 points, got first-place performances from Mona Boyajyan in the 800 (2:19.70), Leana Setian in the 5,000 (18:51.53) and Angelica Salas in the 3,000 steeplechase (11:42.52).

“It turned out to be a great day for us,” Glendale Coach Eddie Lopez said. “They put aside the weather conditions and came to compete.

“It’s a very strong conference in so many of the events. We got the points where we needed to on the men’s side and we got some good results for the women. It’s exactly what we wanted.”

At the conference prelims April 21 at Bakersfield, Ambrosso finished first in the 10,000 in 33:54.64.

The Vaqueros had a slew of athletes qualify Friday for the Southern California prelims, which will take place May 6 at Cerritos College.

For the men, Christopher Atangana took fifth in the 100 (10.97) and sixth in the 400 (50.23), Manuel De La Torre was sixth in the 200 (22.61), Shane Thompson in the 3,000 steeplechase (second, 9:47.68) and 5,000 (second, 15:51.51) advanced, Neron Palmer in the 110 hurdles (fifth, 16.05) moved on, Raymond Lopez advanced in the 5,000 (third, 15:56.50) and Phillip Thomas also made it in the 5,000 (sixth, 16:09.48).

Freshman Haykaz Melkonyan qualified in two events April 21. He finished third in the discus with a throw of 136 feet, 2 inches (41.51 meters) and was fourth in the shot put with a mark of 43-3 1/4 feet (13.19 meters). Christopher Cabrera won his heat of the long jump and was fourth overall with a mark of 22-2 1/2 feet (6.77 meters).

Several women also moved on to the Southern California prelims. Giselle Masedo was sixth in the 5,000 (19:06.94) and the 4x400 relay team of Natalie Bastagian, Boyajyan, Erika Jimenez and Setian was fifth in 4:10.99.

Sophomore Fabiola Naranjo took the sixth and final qualifying position in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 40:32.93.

“I think we have the potential to do well the rest of the way and possibly win some state titles,” Lopez said.