San Bernardino Valley College men's cross country coach Jim Ratigan knew coming into the season that the 2022 edition of his team would have an uphill climb with only one returning runner.
Despite that, the team brought home its 25th conference championship in 26 years and advanced to the state championship meet in Fresno.
But in Fresno, the Wolverines hit the proverbial wall for the season, finishing near the back of the team standings.
"It was not a good day for us in Fresno," Ratigan said. "Our number two runner was sick and our number three wasn't at 100 percent. But the young team gained valuable experience and motivation to train harder for the upcoming track season."
Arian Mayorga was the top finisher for SBVC, stopping the clock after 22 minutes, 22.5 seconds on the four-mile course. It was the first time this season he was the top finisher for the team. Not far behind him was Jake Caliva, who finished at 22:27.3, and Chris Valderrama at 22:28.4. Dennis Cordova was the fourth Wolverine across the line, with a time of 22:48.4.
Despite the finish, Ratigan sees promise in his team.
"We need to find a team leader between now and next summer," he said. "We have the talent to run a lot better, but we just need to stay healthy and be consistent. I feel very good about the future."