By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

REDLANDS — College of the Canyons track and field recorded a dozen top-10 finishes and established 30 new personal records while competing at the University of Redlands Invitational on March 15.

For the second time in as many weeks, Canyons competed against a field of mostly four-year schools. In all, there were 15 participating schools with three club organizations. COC was one of four community colleges at the event.

Freshman Kaiya Cortinas was the top performer for the women’s side after recording a pair of top-six finishes and running on the 4×400 relay team which also finished fourth.

Cortinas was clocked at 2:34.64 to finish sixth in the 800m. That time was just behind teammate Katelyn Catu (2:30.87) who took fourth in the same event.

Later it was Cortinas running to fourth place in the 1500m (5:14.84). In the 4×400 relay Catu, Cortinas, Emily Fairbanks and Zeniah Ellsworth teamed for a time of 4:28.50 to take fourth in the field of five.

Ellsworth also competed in the 100m (21st/12.85) and 200m (12th/26.14).

For the men’s contingent sophomores Jerome Hughes and Sam Regez both won events with JT Saenz, Cesar Tobar and Jack Eaton combining to bring home four more top-five finishes.

Hughes ran a time of 1:58.97 in the 800m to win that event. Regez also won the 1500m at 4:07.16.

COC also found success in the 5000m with Cesar Tobar in second (16:06.24) and Jack Eaton close behind in third (16:19.82).

Saenz made his mark in the jumping events taking fifth in the long jump (6.58m/21′ 7.25″) and fourth in the triple jump (13.10m/42′ 11.75″).

Andre Bray also found success in the triple jump with his ninth-place mark (12.29m/40′ 4″).

Delamonte Barnes took 19th in both the shot put (10.76m/35′ 3.75″) and javelin (38.29m/125′ 7″).

Nathaniel Wilkinson placed 10th in the 3000m (9:34.37) while Da’Marrie Smith was 21st in the 100m (11.12). Lyndon Ravare placed 26th in the 20m (22.76).

In the relay events it was Smith, Saenz, Ravare and Bray finishing seventh in in the 4×100 (43.75) and Heath Arceneaux, Hughes, Robert Sarkisyan and Ravare racing to fifth place in the 4×400 (3:39.36).

Canyons returns to conference competition Friday, March 22 at the Western State Conference (WSC) Inland Meet hosted by Bakersfield College.

For full results from the meet, click [here].