GLENDALE — The expectations are clear for the Glendale Community College men’s and women’s track and field teams — compete for Western State Conference titles and send as large a contingent as possible to the State Championships in May.
Both squads kick off their 2010 season at 8:30 a.m. today in the CSUN All Comers meet at Cal State Northridge.
For the women’s team, the primary objective will be defending the conference crown it won last year, the program’s first since 1981.
“We expect to be up there [in conference], one of the top teams, probably with West L.A.,” said Glendale college Coach Eddie Lopez, whose women’s team was represented by seven athletes at last year’s state meet. “Our distance group is just as strong, probably stronger, than last year and our sprinters are going to be good.”
Lopez said the women’s team will also be stronger in field events.
But with a good number of athletes on the roster from the Vaqueros’ state champion cross-country team, distance will once again be the bread and butter of Lopez’s track squad.
State cross-country champion Nina Moore, a freshman, is one of six members of the cross-country team running track, a group that includes team co-captain sophomore Rosa Del Toro.
“We’re deeper and when you have the state champion in cross-country, that’s impressive,” said Lopez, who also coaches the college’s cross-country programs. “[Del Toro] is really doing a great job and she’s probably in the best shape of her life.”
Harriers Brianna Jauregui, Vivian Ochoa and Karen Rosas, all freshmen are also on the team, along with sophomore Angelina Gonzalez.
Crescenta Valley High graduate Samantha Bogatz, the team’s top sprinter from last season will redshirt, but Lopez has procured some local talent in his freshman class to offset the loss.
Carissa Porter out of Pasadena and Alin Jabourian from Glendale will anchor and lead-off relay events, respectively, and Catherine Ewing-Moore will also be one of the team’s top sprinters.
Diana Sanchez and reigning All-Area Girls’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year Daniela Pollard out of Glendale will also run relays and sprints.
Pollard’s main strengths, however, are the long jump and high jump, in which she won Pacific League titles and set school records, and she will look to reprise that role for the Vaqueros.
