The Moorpark College women's cross country team finished sixth in Southern California Nov. 4 and are hoping to finish at least that high Saturday at the California Community College championships at Woodward Park in Fresno.

"You never know," said coach Traycie Kephart.

Last year, the Raiders, spurred on by freshman Andrea Barrera, saved their best performance for last and finished a surprising sixth. Barrera, now the Raiders' top runner, is aiming for a Top 15 finish,

"We're hoping to continue that this year," said Kephart. "They've been running really well at practice, which is really nice... We'll see. It's fun to see how we can continue to improve."

After a season of carrying so much weigh, Ventura College freshman Brianna Panapa will focus on just two events at the California Community College track and field championships Saturday at American River College in Sacramento.

One of two athletes to qualify for Southern California prelims in all four throwing events, Panapa will compete in the women's javelin and hammer throw.

"It does feel a little light," said Panapa. "For once I won't be running around trying to do all four. I'll still have the same mindset, though."

Honored as the team's Most Valuable Player and Scholar Athlete, the St. Bonaventure High product memorably swept all four throwing events during the six-way
meet at Ventura on April 1.

She was second in the shot put, third in the hammer and discus and fourth in the javelin at the Western State Conference championships.

The No. 12 and final seed in both events, Panapa took an optimistic view.

"I have nothing to lose," said Panapa. "I can only move up from where I'm at."

Panapa's teammates in Sacramento include Shara Longbotham, the No. 5 seed in the women's high jump, and Luis Guevara, the No. 11 seed (33:23.58) in the men's 10,000 meters.

Ventura's Teddy Elsenbaumer and Tomek Czerwinski are the Top 2 seeds in the men's decathlon. Moorpark's Garrett Demirjian is No. 4.

The Moorpark contingent also includes Lydia French, the top seed in the women's high jump; Charlie Petrie, the No. 3 seed in the men's 1,500 meters and No. 10 seed in the men's 10,000 meters; Nicole Rietveld, is the No.5 seed in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase; Zuleima Jimenez; the No. 6 seed in the women's 10,000 meters; and Andrew Scott; the No. 7 seed in the men's hammer.

After two years in Ventura County, the California Community College basketball championships will return to Northern California next March at Consumnes River College in Sacramento.

Anyone present at the Ventura College Athletic Event Center for the state finals March 12 will remember the sight of the City College of San Francisco men's basketball team turning down the ladder during the postgame net-cutting ceremony.

Instead, the Rams opted to cut down the nets as a team, supporting themselves on the shoulders of teammates to cut down the nets.

Nearly six weeks before Ventura College hosts the California Community College basketball championships, a few CCCAA administrators were in town Jan. 27 for a site visit.

"We wanted to come by and see how an actual game is run, said George Mategakis, the Commission on Athletic's Director of Championships.

Between games of the Oxnard-Ventura doubleheader, Mategaskis and Jim Stephens, the championships' event manager, could be seen measuring the "VC" center-court logo.

"We want to dress up the place," said Mategaskis.

Home wasn't quite a direction for Charlie Petrie.

The Oaks Christian product admits to being confused when he returned home after one semester at Boise State University.

"I wasn't sure where my life is going," said Petrie.

But after a standout season with the Moorpark College cross-country team, Petrie has regained his momentum.

After winning the Western State Conference individual title and finishing fifth last week at the Southern California finals, the Calabasas native is aiming for a Top 5 finish at the California Community College championships Saturday in Fresno.

"He has so much talent and he's just one of those guys that needs to find the motivation," said Moorpark coach Traycie Kephart. "But he's really put it in overdrive and has become more of a positive team leader, as well."

Petrie will return to the Woodward Park course, hoping to better his sixth-place finish from the Division IV state meet in 2008.

"It's kind of like old times," said Petrie. "It's familiar to me."

Five is the magic number for the Moorpark College cross-country teams Saturday, when, on top of Charlie Petrie's Top 5 individual aspirations, the five runners who have carried the Moorpark women's team will also be working towards a Top 5 finish.

"We've been blessed this season," said coach Traycie Kephart. "We've had five women pretty much this whole season. The fact that they've been able to stay so healthy and keep improving has amazed me."

The Raiders finished fifth at SoCals behind a 12th-place finish (19:40) by freshman Nicole Rietvelt, followed by Andrea Barrera (34th, 20:23), Alexis Pichardo (45th, 20:39), Ashley Hamiltion (53rd, 20:55) and Torrie Marschik (66th, 21:05).

The rolling hills and natural surfaces of Woodward Park provide a measuring stick to the runners, considering the course is also the venue of the state high school championships.

"Most of our athletes have run it before in high school," said Kephart, "so it's really neat to see how they improve... It's a big honor to run in Fresno."

After a season of fair weather, the runners may be in store for a challenge in their final race.

"We've had a really nice season in regards to weather and it's supposed to be cold and rainy on Saturday," said Kephart, "so it's interesting to see how they'll compete."

Freshman Nicole Rietveld finished fourth overall as the Moorpark College women's cross-country team finished runner-up to defending state champion Glendale at the Western State Conference championships Tuesday afternoon at Crescenta Valley Park.

Rietveld finished the course in 19 minuters, 37.50 seconds. Teammates Andrea Barrera (15th, 20:27), Alexis Pichardo (16th, 20:43) and Ashley Hamilton (17th, 20:44) finished in a pack less than a minute later.

Carissa Arce (13th, 20:26) and Victoria Olaiz (25th, 21:47) led the Ventura women to a surprise fifth-place finish.

"To a woman, they ran tough," said Ventura coach Tony Veney.

Jessica Serrano finished 20th (20:57) for eighth-placed Oxnard.

Cody Kempema finished in sixth place (21:03) as the Ventura College men finished fourth.
"Cody ran an exceptional race," said Veney.