COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Irvine Valley Women Capture Third Conference Title in Row

The Irvine Valley women’s cross-country team won its third consecutive Orange Empire Conference title Tuesday at Craig Park in Brea.

The Lasers, in only their third year of existence, finished with 34 points, well ahead of second-place Orange Coast’s 75.

Riverside’s Emebet Shiferaw won the three-mile race, shattering the course record with a time of 17 minutes 11 seconds. Irvine Valley’s Mayra Medina and Summer Gingrich finished second and third, more than half a minute behind. Fullerton’s Teresa Vega and Golden West’s Kim Foster, the previous course-record holder, rounded out the top five.

Golden West took third place in the team standings, followed by Riverside, Rancho Santiago and Fullerton.

In the men’s race, the Riverside runners, defending conference champions, took the top three spots to win the title again.

Riverside’s Abderrayak Merchond broke the course record, winning in 19:12, 32 seconds faster than the previous mark.

Wilhelm Gidabuday and Alamayehu Robba-Jimma took the next two spots, about 20 seconds behind. Previous-record holder Darin Rabb from Orange Coast and Rancho Santiago’s Fidel Zavala were among the top five finishers.

Riverside had 31 points, followed by Rancho Santiago (52), Irvine Valley (84), Orange Coast (92), Fullerton (118) and Golden West (151).

The top four from each of the team standings will compete Nov. 20 in the State championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.