COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRACK AND FIELD / ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS : Riverside Men, Women Win Titles, but Rancho Santiago Has Bright Spots

Riverside, as expected, dominated the Orange Empire Conference track and field championships Saturday, but the men’s relay teams from host Rancho Santiago had impressive performances as well.

The Tiger men won five events, winning the title with 212 points. Rancho Santiago (106) was second and Orange Coast (99) third.

The Riverside women won nine events and finished first with 254 points. San Diego Mesa (120) was second and Saddleback (79) third.

Rancho Santiago ended the day on an uplifting note by charging from behind to win the 1,600 relay, the final running event. Riverside led after the first lap, Orange Coast took over on Lap 2, and Riverside took the lead again on the third lap.

Meanwhile, Rancho Santiago stayed near the lead. On the final lap, the Dons’ Hector Flores moved into first coming out of the final turn and pulled away. Flores was put into position to win by teammates Ernie Wilson, Ty Wynn and Andre Mosley.

Rancho Santiago’s time was 3 minutes 17.35 seconds. Riverside was second in 3:17.94.

The Dons also got the running events off to a strong start by setting a conference record in the 400 relay. The Dons’ team of Bernard Hardaman, Mosley, Flores and Wilson won in 41.49. Wilson pulled in front in the final 50 meters.

Riverside (41.81) was second and Saddleback (42.46) third.

Mosley also won the 400 in 50.01, edging Fullerton’s Roshawn Sims (50.08).

“I thought Riverside was the favorite (in both relay races),” Rancho Santiago Coach Al Siddons said. “But sometimes in these meets, the kids rise to the occasion. I’m very proud of them because they all work so hard.”

Rancho Santiago’s Gary Van Sluis set a conference record in the pole vault by reaching 15 feet 6 inches. He missed three times at 16-2. Fullerton’s Jerry Sanchez, who started the year at 11 feet, was second at 14-6.

Fullerton’s Kevin Carlson was expected to challenge the conference high jump record of 7-0, but settled for winning at 6-8. He missed three times at 6-10. Carlson got his body over the bar on his last two jumps, but kicked it loose with his heel each time. His best this season is 6-10 3/4.

Saddleback got first-place finishes from Brian Cullum in the steeplechase (9:39.71) and Adrian Brown in the long jump (23-1 1/2).

Stacey Mezo of Saddleback was the only woman from an Orange County team to win an event Saturday. She took first in the javelin with a throw of 124-1.

Orange Coast’s Adrienne Sweetser won the 5,000 in 18:55.6 Tuesday.