COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : OCC’s Benavides Wins Women’s Race

Maricel Benavides of Orange Coast College won the women’s individual race but Riverside won the men’s and the women’s team titles at the Orange Empire Conference cross-country championships Friday at Central Park in Huntington Beach.

Benavides ran the 5,000-meter course in 19 minutes 48.1 seconds. Virginia Emiliano of Rancho Santiago was second (20:42.3) and Mary Shelton of Riverside third (20:48.6).

Riverside won the women’s team title with 47 points. OCC (49) was second and Rancho Santiago (54) was third.

John Meagher of Riverside won the men’s four-mile race in 20:14.9. Teammate Marco Oceguera (20:45.2) was second. Chris Parmer of OCC (20:50.9) was third and Brad Sigler of OCC (20:58.1) was fourth.

Riverside won with 24 points. Orange Coast (62) was second and Fullerton (66) third.