Dunn, both GCC teams take WSC

GLENDALE — As it relates to the Western State Conference, the Glendale Community College women’s cross-country team continued its dominance on Tuesday afternoon, while the members of the Vaqueros’ men’s team reaffirmed theirs.

Both ran to lopsided victories at the WSC finals at Waller Park in Santa Maria, with the Katie Dunn-led Lady Vaqueros cruising past second-place Cuesta, 22-132, while the men’s team bested second-place College of the Canyons, 47-87.

“That’s the best we’ve done,” said Vaqueros Coach Eddie Lopez in reference to the women’s team gap of 1 minute 10 seconds between Dunn and No. 5 runner Rosa Del Toro. “That’s excellent.”

As has been the case all year, Dunn led the way for the Vaqueros, with the freshman running to a first-place time of 19:14 on the 5K course and claiming the conference individual title in the process. It was Dunn’s sixth win in seven races run this season.

Ten seconds behind her, Justina Sadauskaite took second in 19:24.

“We expect 1-2,” said Lopez of Dunn and Sadauskaite. “That’s a good effort.”

Crescenta Valley High graduate Nathan Sellers was nearly able to pull out an individual title, but placed second in 21:25 in the men’s 6K race.

“He was leading most of the race,” Lopez said.

Still, Sellers’ run was good enough to lead the Vaqueros back to a WSC championship after taking second a season ago. It was the 18th WSC title for the men’s team in the last 22 years.

“It feels good,” Lopez said.

Like the ladies, the men’s team did well in its quest to lessen the team gap, whittling it down to just 1:01.

Francisco Quijado finished ninth overall for the Vaqueros in 22:10, followed closely behind by the rest of GCC’s top five. Adrian Anderson was 11th in 22:20, Jonathan Alpizar was 12th in 22:21 and Manuel Blanco was 13th in 22:24 to round out the top five.

“The guys ran in a nice pack [Tuesday],” Lopez said. “That’s what we want to do.”

The women, whose ultimate goal is to repeat as junior college state champions, won the program’s third straight WSC title.

It was also the third straight season in which a Lady Vaquero won the individual crown, as Dunn followed the path of Tove Berg, who won the title the last two seasons. After Dunn and Sadauskaite, Angie Gonzalez took fifth in 20:14, while Brigette Fernandez was just a second behind in sixth. Like Sellers, the top four women’s finishers all received first-team all-conference honors for their finishes.

Del Toro finished eighth in 20:24.

Up next for the Vaqueros is a trip to the Southern California Championships in Bakersfield on Nov. 7.

Both teams are hoping to advance to state thereafter, with the women’s team aiming for a third straight SoCal victory.

“We’re doing well,” Lopez said. “We’re gonna go up there and try and hopefully make it three in a row.”