2005 California Community Colleges
Commission on Athletics
Track and Field Championships

Sacramento, CCSF, Mt. SAC Win State Track Team Titles

Sports / for immediate release / May 14, 2004
from: Fred Baer, JC Athletic Bureau

SACRAMENTO, CCSF, MT. SAC WIN STATE TRACK TEAM TITLES

SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento City College became the first Northern California team to win three consecutive women’s state track titles and City College of San Francisco repeated as men’s champions, sharing the crown with Mt. San Antonio College, at the 2005 California Community Colleges COA Track and Field championships Saturday night at American River College.

Both team battles went down to the concluding 4 x 400 meter relay

WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP:

Sacramento clinched with a fourth place finish in the women’s relay, anchored by sprint star LaSadies McClain (in 53.6 seconds) to finish with 88 points. Cerritos was second in the race (3:50.96) and second in the meet with 84 points. Long Beach won the race in 3:49.94 but finished fifth in team scoring with 63 points.

McClain, a sophomore, figured in 33 points, winning gold medals in the 100 meters (12.04) and on the 4 x 100 relay (45.51) and finishing second in the 200 (24.05), won by Jasmin Baldwin of Mt. SAC (23.85).

MEN’S CHAMIONSHIP:

The men’s finish was one of the closest in the meet’s 55-year history.

Entering the final men’s event, Mt. SAC had 57 points. San Francisco, Riverside, and Moorpark were all two points back with 55. Only Moorpark didn’t have a relay. The other three ranked two through four in the state, behind favorite – and eventual winner Long Beach (which ran a state season best 3:10.13)

CCSF, anchored by 800 meter champion Francis Gadayan, finished second in 3:10.86 seconds, one place ahead of Mt. San Antonio (3:13.39), and the two teams became co-champions with 63 points apiece. It was the first title deadlock for either gender since the Long Beach and Riverside men tied in 1994.

Riverside and Moorpark shared third place with 55 points and Long Beach was fifth (44).

Jumper Donoir Flax sparked Mt. SAC’s late drive, scoring 23 points. After earlier finishing fourth in the long jump (23-2), he placed second in the triple jump (50-3) and then won the high jump (7-0) just minutes before the concluding relays. The Mounties, who had been in fourth place (with 47 points) behind a trio of teams deadlocked with 55 points, suddenly were in the lead with 57 points going into the final race.

Outstanding athlete awards:

Women’s Track: Ludi Valdez, Orange Coast, 5,000 and 10,000 champion; second in the 1,500.

Women’s Field: Tai Battle, Moorpark, discus and hammer throw champion.

Men’s Track: Porfilio Parra, L.A. Trade Tech, steeplechase and 5,000 champion.

Men’s Field: Colin Veldman, Moorpark, hammer, discus, and shot put champion; and Chris Richardson, Cerritos, decathlon champion, also fifth in long jump; sixth in javelin (competed in 12 events over two days).

Coaches of the year:

Women: Lisa Bauduin, Sacramento.

Men: Doug Todd, Mt San Antonio and Sean Laughlin, CCSF.

Assistant Coaches of the year:

Women: Mark Ochoa, Orange Coast

Men: Jan Desoto, Santa Rosa, and Leslie Coons, San Diego Mesa.