Fernandez, Antonio Jr. and Felzien Earn All-Region Honors at Region I Championships
The Pima Community College men's and women's cross country teams competed in the NJCAA Region I Championships on Saturday at the Glen Lakes Golf Course in Glendale.
The men's team took fourth place with a team score of 92 points. Central Arizona College took first place with 22 points, Mesa Community College was second place with 72 and Glendale Community College placed third with 85 points. The Aztecs beat out Paradise Valley Community College (94) and Estrella Mountain Community College (180).
Sophomore David Fernandez (Ironwood Ridge HS) earned first team All-Region after he finished the 8K (4.97-mile) race in fifth place out of 41 competitors with a time of 25 minutes, 22.5 seconds. Fellow sophomore Armando Antonio Jr. (Desert View HS) earned third team All-Region with his 15th place finish at 26:41.8.
Freshman Alonso Sodari (Walden Grove HS) took 16th place with a time of 26:44.7 while freshman Victor Bustamante (Flowing Wells HS) placed 25th with 27:34.5. Freshman Ben Bussey (Flowing Wells HS) finished the race in 31st place at 28:26.3.
In the women's 5K (3.1-mile) race, the Aztecs also took fourth place in the team standings with a score of 97 points. Mesa Community College took first place with 33 points while Central Arizona College took second with 35 points. Paradise Valley Community College was third with 75. The Aztecs beat out Estrella Mountain Community College, who finished with 143 points.
Sophomore Samantha Felzien earned second team All-Region honors after she placed 10th out of 37 runners with a time of 18:43.1.
Freshman Alondra Carrasco took 22nd place with a time of 20:50.3 while freshman Ariana Roche (Cienega HS) 23rd at 20:56.3. Sophomore Hannah Painter (Flagstaff HS) finished the race in 25th place with a mark of 21:08.0 and freshman Ericka Rios (Sabino HS) was 26th at 21:12.5.
The Aztecs will compete in the NJCAA National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Prairie Trails Golf Course in El Dorado, KS.
David Fernandez, Samantha Felzien and Armando Antonio Jr./Photo by Raymond Suarez
