Glendale Shrugs Off Second-Place Finish

The Glendale College men’s cross-country team suffered its second loss of the season in the Southern California championships at Kern County Soccer Park in Bakersfield on Friday, but Coach Eddie Lopez wasn’t too concerned.

“We ran OK,” Lopez said of Glendale’s second-place finish. “[Jorge] Lopez didn’t run that well, but I was pleased. . . . I feel pretty good about our chances in the state championships.”

Glendale, paced by third-place Eduardo Diaz, totaled 113 points to finish behind the 105 of San Diego Mesa.

Santa Ana, led by the 1-2 finish of Jose Herrera and Alfonso Leon, was third with 116 points, followed by Orange Coast with 120 and Riverside with 164.

Diaz ran 19:14 over the flat, fast four-mile course for Glendale, which won the state title last year after finishing fifth in the Southern California final.

Alejandro Lemus finished 21st in 19:44 for the Vaqueros, with Henry Briseno 22nd in 19:46, Lopez 31st in 19:59 and Walter Navarro 36th in 20:02.

Lopez has been Glendale’s No. 2 runner most of the season.

Ventura placed 13th with 415 points and Oxnard was 14th with 431 to grab the last two qualifying spots for the state championships at Fairview Park in San Luis Obispo on Nov. 20.

Orange Coast won its third consecutive Southern California women’s title with 52 points, followed by San Diego Mesa with 119 and El Camino with 121.

Ventura was eighth with 283 points, Moorpark was ninth with 297 and Glendale was 10th with 314.

Yadi Ramirez of Ventura was a surprising fourth with a time of 18:53 over the three-mile course.

Jeanene Gerry of Moorpark was sixth in 19:11 and Kim Lorimer of Glendale was ninth in 19:20.