California Community Colleges
Commission on Athletics
Cross Country Championship

Saturday, November 22, 2003
Woodward Park
Fresno, CA

Orange Coast Men, Women are Appealing Favorites for State Cross Country Titles Saturday at Fresno's Woodward Park

When the starting gun sounds at 10 a.m. Saturday morning at Fresno's Woodward Park in the 27th women's California Community College Commission on Athletics Cross Country Championships, it appears the race will be a matter of keeping up with Jones.

Specifically, Ava Jones of the Orange Coast College 'Pirates,' the defending state team champions. As a freshman in 2002, Jones finished third in the state championships, also held at Woodward Park.

Her sophomore year has been exemplary. She is the Orange Empire Conference individual champion and the OEC's cross country 'Female Athlete of the Year.' She was second in the regional meet held in Walnut, Calif. on Nov. 7. Jones won three races overall and was runner-up in two others.

The Pirates won the regional meet with ease by outpointing El Camino 76-108. Riverside was a narrow third at 112.

The OCC men, led by Art Diaz, are keeping up with Jones and her teammates and are huge favorites to claim the 40th men's California Community College Cross Country Championship. The Pirates blitzed to the Southern California championship as OCC's winning 35 points was far ahead of San Bernardino Valley's 113. OCC was runner-up to East Los Angeles in 2002.

Diaz is the defending 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter state champion in track and field. He has been the No. 1 runner all season having won the Southern California regional individual title and the OEC individual title. He won four races and finished in the top five in two others. Not surprisingly, Diaz is also the OEC's Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year.

Hartnell College of Salinas is the top women's team from Northern California. The Panthers pounced the other Panthers, of Sacramento City, in a strong victory at the Northern California Regional on Nov. 7 in Rocklin, 52-100. Diablo Valley (101) and Modesto JC (103) lost a close battle for second place.

Meanwhile, American River ran away with the men's Northern regional with 34 points to College of the Sequoias' 66. Hartnell, showing the balance of its cross country program, took third place with 86 points.

Saturday's men's race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

-COA-

Woody Wilk, sports publicist at Fresno City College, and Eric Montgomery, sports information director at Orange Coast College, collaborated in writing this report.