Third year coach Jim Ratigan guided his team to their 20th consecutive Foothill Conference Championship, then took a 3rd Place finish at the SoCal Finals with a 7th Place finish at the CCCAA State Championships. As a reward for their 25th Conference Championship, the team was bestowed with the Conference Coach of the Year award and the Conference MVP as they swept the field and grabbed 14 of the top 15 spots, including 1st place to 11th place to take a "Perfect 15."
The top individual finisher at the CCCAA State Finals for SBVC placed 7th in the four mile event, freshman Luis Ortega (Fontana Jurupa Hills) with a time of 20:44.2. SBVC collected a score of 187 points at this event, finishing 31 points ahead of Cuyamaca. The event was held at Woodward Park in Fresno.
The next highest finisher was freshman Michael Teran (Fontana Jurupa Hills) placing 12th with a time of 20:50.4. Finishing 21st was sophomore Derek Barnett (Redlands East Valley) with a time of 21:02.0 and placing 48th place was freshman Christian Sharp (Redlands East Valley) with a time of 21:35.0. Sophomore Daniel Aguilera (Fontana Jurupa Hills) wrapped up the SBVC finishers with a time of 21:15.6, placing 98th.
SBVC collected a solid and hard fought third place finish at the SoCal Finals in San Diego and Teran won 1st place overall. The team finished with 124 points, but Teran led the way, gobbling up the 4 mile course in 20:31.2, which was two seconds faster than his earlier time on the course during the SoCal Preview in September.
Ortega finished only 15 seconds behind Teran, with a time of 20:46.1, good enough for 5th place and Barnett crossed the line in 11th place with a time of 21:05.3. Sharp crossed the finish line in 39th place with a time of 21:46.0 and freshman Antonio Sanchez (Jurupa Valley Rubidoux) grabbed the final top five spot, with a time of 22:20.6 ending up 68th.
SBVC collected their 20th consecutive Foothill Conference Championship and 25th overall as they swept the field and grabbed a "Perfect 15." As a reward for leading the team, head coach Jim Ratigan, collected his third consecutive Foothill Conference Coach of the Year Award. For finishing first, Teran, was named the Foothill Conference MVP, he wrapped up the 4 mile course in 20:25.
Ortega finished right on Teran's heels, only 3 seconds behind with a time of 20:28, good enough for second place and Barnett crossed the line in 3rd place with a time of 20:38. Sanchez crossed the finish line in 4th place with a time of 20:45 and Sharp grabbed the final top five spot, with a time of 20:52 ending up 5th.
Aguilera, along with freshman Josue Lopez (Jurupa Valley Rubidoux), freshman Isaac Gonzalez (Fontana H.S.), Sophomore Cameron Graves (Moreno Valley Canyon Springs) and sophomore Fernando Bolanos (Rialto W.A. Carter) were all named All-Foothill Conference.
It was another exciting effort for SBVC Men's Cross Country head coach Jim Ratigan and his program, there are many things to look forward to in the upcoming season with the change in athletics Conferences to the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. In 2016, SBVC will have to face Cuyamaca, San Diego Mesa, Southwestern, Imperial Valley, Palomar, San Diego City, and College of the Desert. It should be a thrilling 2016 campaign.
Information, Photos & Story provided by SBVC Sports Information.