Walker takes first, Clovis women capture third straight Northern California Regional title; Crush men finish sixth
SALINAS – Clovis Community College sophomore Rhiannon Walker continues to cement her position as the top women's community college runner to beat this season. On Friday, Walker cruised to her fifth win of the season, taking first place at the Northern California Regional Championships at Toro Park in Salinas.
Her victory helped lead the Crush women's cross country team to its third consecutive regional title with a final score of 50 points to easily outdistance runner up American River College with 116 points.
Walker cleared the three-mile course with an impressive time of 18:16.4. She was nearly 45 seconds better than second-place finisher Alejandra Magana-Ramirez from American River at 18:55.2.
All five of Clovis' scoring runners finished among the competition's top-25. Walker was joined in the top-10 by teammate Magy Marcelo in sixth place at 19:37.0. She was followed by Genevieve Tamondong in 12th place with her time of 19:58.2.
Walker, Marcelo, and Tamondong earned All-Northern California honors by finishing among the top-14 at the race.
Also scoring for the Crush were Alyona Beams in 20th at 20:15.3 and Macie Riddle in 24th place with her time of 20:34.2
Riddle was followed nu Lisbeth Mendez in 27th (20:41.5) and Maria Garcia in 30th (20:52.5).
Led by a 13th-place showing by Ivan Barranco, the Clovis men totaled 150 team points to finish in sixth place at the Northern California Regional Championships.
Barranco cleared the four-mile Toro Park course with his time of 21:28.3 and earned All-Northern California honors. Barranco led a group of Crush scoring runners that all finished among the top-40 at the event.
Up next for Clovis was Joaquin McGee in 32nd place with a time of 22:18.3. He was followed by a pack of Crush runners with Edwin Quiroz-Cisneros in 37th (22:23.2), Jose Diaz Hernandez in 38th (22:23.8), Izak Samorano in 39th (22:26.0), and Anders Vasconcellos 41st (22:31.5). Isak Camacho closed it out for the Crush in 51st with a time of 22:51.5.
Up next is the 2024 3C2A State Championships, hosted by Clovis Community College on Nov. 23 at Woodward Park in Fresno. Walker will look to go a perfect 6 for 6 in races this season in hopes of leading Clovis to its first-ever team state title.
