Community College Runners to Compete in Championships

Some of the state’s best community college cross-country teams will compete today in the Southern California Cross-Country Championships at Irvine Park in Orange.

The top five teams in the men’s and women’s divisions will advance to the state championships Nov. 21 at Woodward Park in Fresno. Also, the top 15 individuals not affiliated with the top five teams will advance as long as they place in the top 35.

In the men’s division, Orange Empire Conference champion Rancho Santiago will be challenged by Grossmont, El Camino, Mt. San Antonio, Glendale, San Diego Mesa, Orange Coast and L.A. Trade Tech.

Jim Sorenson, the Orange Empire Conference individual champion, will contend for the men’s individual title. Sorenson, a former 800-meter standout at Villa Park High School, probably will compete against Uriel Rivera of Long Beach, Marcial Beltran of Fullerton, John Vance of Mt. SAC, John Fedoroff of El Camino, Angel Hernandez of L.A. Trade Tech and Humberto Quintana of Glendale for the individual championship.

Orange Coast, the Orange Empire Conference women’s champion, is expected to challenge for the women’s title. The Pirates’ toughest competition will be MiraCosta, Mt. SAC, Cuesta, El Camino and Ventura.

Mt. SAC’s Janice Sellon leads the women’s individual field. Sellon, winner of the Irvine Invitational last September, is expected to be challenged by Orange Coast’s Tracy Wright, the Orange Empire Conference champion; Mt. SAC’s Carmen Maldonaldo; Oxnard’s Debbie Sharp, and Jill Hoffmann of El Camino.

The meet begins with the women’s 5,000-meter race at 2:30 p.m. The men’s four-mile race begins at 3.