Southwestern College’s men’s and women’s cross country teams swept championship titles at this year’s Pacific Coast Athletic Conference finals hosted by Imperial Valley College Oct. 30 at Sunbeam State Park in Seely. This marks the third time that coach Duro Agbede has guided both the men’s and women’s team to championship titles in the same year. The last time was in 2004.
Southwestern’s Amitat Olowara, the national champion of Nigeria in the 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and 1500 meters two years ago, ran away from the 5K women’s field to win the gold medal with a time of 17:24. Olowara easily won over teammate Erika Gonzalez (18:40), the race’s second-place finisher.
The Jaguars won the team title with 43 points, followed by San Diego Mesa with 48 points, Cuyamaca with 59 points, Palomar with 86 points, Imperial Valley with 139 points and San Diego City with 170 points.
Olowara, 20, said she came to the United States to better her English language skills. Future goals could include making a stab at the Olympic Games, if she desires to follow that route.
She said her strategy remains simple. “I like to start fast and finish fast,” she said.
“It’s crazy,” Gonzalez said of Olowara. “She’s very gifted. I try to stay with her when I can. If I can still see her up ahead of me, I think I’m OK.”
Southwestern’s George Martinez won the 4.0-mile men’s race in 20:14, followed by SWC teammates Bryan Alvarado in second place in 20:27 and Gerardo Marquillo in third place in 20:30. All three SWC runners are graduates of Sweetwater High School, as is Gonzalez (from the women’s race).
Also placing for the Jaguars in the men’s race were Carlos Ponce (Sweetwater), Jonathan Patron (Castle Park) and Bruce Alvarez (San Diego).
Southwestern won the men’s team title with 22 points, followed by Cuyamaca with 42 points, Mesa with 68 points, Palomar with 91 points, San Diego City with 155 points and Imperial Valley with no score.
Agbede said this is the 15th championship overall for SWC. He noted that 11 have been won back-to-back.
“The kids worked very hard — it was a good season for us,” the SWC coach said. “We went to meets in Los Angeles and the Bay Area and raced in other top meets against four-year universities to give everyone the opportunity to see what it is like to compete at that level.
“The second half of the season we raced against JC teams, and we were ready. It was a tight race for the women at the conference finals but we won it, and the men won by a wider margin to be conference champions as well.”
This year’s SWC team is bolstered by seven recent graduates from Sweetwater.
The Southern California regionals are scheduled Nov. 7 at Woodley Park in Van Nuys.
Gonzalez, a freshman, placed sixth out of 140 runners with an 18:22.3 time for five kilometers in the 67th annual Mt. SAC Invitational on Oct. 18
Martinez, a sophomore, posted a seventh-place finish in a 183-runner field at the Mt. SAC event by covering the 4.0-mile course in 21:05.0.
Jags run to state meet appearance
The cross country season isn’t quite over for Southwestern College’s men’s and women’s teams. Members of both teams will compete in Saturday’s state championship meet in Fresno.
Southwestern placed fifth among women’s teams and sixth among men’s teams at the Southern California regional championships that took place Nov. 7 at Woodley Park in Van Nuys.
Freshman Amitat Olowara won the women’s race in 17:31.4 to best the field of 177 entrants. SWC teammate Erika Gonzalez finished sixth in 18:33.7.
Also scoring points for the Jaguars in the 5K race were Jasmine Vasquez (52nd, 20:03.5), Keeshawna Jackson (63rd, 20:14.4) and Karina Cantera (65th, 20:16.5).
Southwestern finished the race with a total time of 1:36:42 and a total score of 187 points. The Lady Jaguars trailed team champion Glendale (61 points), runner-up Mt. San Antonio (79), third place Canyons (113) and fourth place Cerritos (184).
San Diego Mesa was immediately behind SWC in sixth place with 194 points while Cuyamaca managed to post a 10th place finish with 306 points.
George Martinez led SWC in the 4.0-mile men’s race with an eighth-place individual finish in 20:25.4. Gerardo Marquillo placed 24th in 20:52.6, followed by Jaguars teammates Bryan Alvarado (30th, 20:59.6), Carlos Ponce (67th, 21:45.8) and Jonathan Patron (82nd, 21:57.4).
There were 203 finishers in the men’s race. Orange Coast sophomore Lucio Ramirez won the men’s individual title in 20:03.0 — two seconds ahead of Cuesta sophomore Connor Fisher.
Canyons won the team title with a score of 90 points, followed by runner-up Mt. San Antonio (121), third place San Bernardino Valley (135), fourth place Cuesta (177), fifth place Orange Coast (190) and sixth place Southwestern (208).
Among other San Diego County JC teams, Cuyamaca finished 16th, followed by San Diego Mesa (19th) and Palomar (24th).
Martinez leads a large contingent of former Sweetwater High School harriers on the SWC team. He said motivation for this weekend’s state championship meet is not lacking.
“We want to represent Southwestern and also Sweetwater on the podium,” he said.
