Encouraging 2019 Opening Meet For PCC Men's Cross Country

The Pasadena City College men's cross country team may have turned its fortunes around in 2019. The Lancers placed fourth overall as a team at the Ventura Invitational but four of their runners placed in the top 20 out of 58 total racers.

In the 4-mile run at Ventura's Arroyo Verde Park, freshman Asa Barton crossed the finish line in eighth place (24:05.69) while sophomore teammate Giovanni Guajardo grabbed 10th (24:31.10). The other two Lancers to make it into the top 20 were freshman Mohammad Halim, who took 17th (24:55.56) and frosh newcomer Alec Fernandez in 18th (24:58.22). 

Team champion Oxnard (50 points) was led by event champ Juan Martinez (22:30.35). The Lancers scored 77 to also place behind Canyons (53) and Bakersfield (61). PCC finished ahead of Santiago Canyon (125) and host Ventura (146). 

Other Lancers to take part in the opening meet were freshman Eduardo Cruz in 34th (27:15), letterman Jose Campos in 36th (27:30), freshman Jordan Jiang in 43rd (28:20), and first-year Karvin Li in 53rd (31:18). 

Fourth-year head coach Innocent Egbunike ran his entire 8-man roster that includes six freshmen in top racer Barton (Blair High) and five racers from Arcadia High in Halim, Fernandez, Cruz, Jiang, and Li.

Giovanni is the only Lancer returning with state meet experience (136th as a freshman). 

This week, PCC returns to action to participate in the Biola Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 7. The meet at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton begins at 9:30 a.m.