Glendale Women Place 3rd in State Cross-Country Meet

The Glendale College women’s cross-country team is back among the state’s top programs.

The Vaqueros proved that Saturday by finishing third in the state junior college championships at Fresno’s Woodward Park.

Paced by the 12th-place finish of Auria Roberto, Glendale totaled 190 points to finish behind Irvine Valley (133) and Orange Coast (189).

Ventura finished seventh with 236 points and Antelope Valley was 18th with 407.

It was the second time in the last three years that the Vaqueros have finished third in the state meet.

“It’s nice to be back up there,” Glendale Coach Gretchen Lohr said. “We just ran awful (20th place) in the state meet last year. But everyone ran well today. Everyone ran the race they were supposed to.”

Roberto, a freshman from Belmont High, ran 18 minutes 52 seconds over the 5,000-meter course with teammates Ana Hernandez 33rd in 19:37 and Margarita Renteria 46th in 19:47.

Teresa Santana led Antelope Valley in 22nd (19:23) and Ventura’s Valerie Aceves was 28th (19:31).

Mark Sinderson of Antelope Valley was the region’s highest finisher in the men’s race, placing ninth in 19:59 over the four-mile course.

Although Sinderson and teammate Dave Hensley (38th in 20:47) faded after being among the leaders at the mile mark, Marauder Coach Mark Covert was pleased with their performances.

“I told them, ‘Let’s get right up front and see what happens,’ ” Covert said. “I told them to hang in there for the first two miles and see how it felt.”

Cuyamaca won the men’s race with 62 points, followed by Mt. San Antonio (99) and Riverside (130).

Glendale initially finished fourth with 177 points, but the Vaqueros ended up sixth with 216 points after fourth runner Juan Hernandez (42nd in 20:50) and sixth runner Gilbert Roca (83rd in 21:35) were disqualified for cutting the course.

Antelope Valley placed 10th with 339 points.