Riverside Athletics Week in Review – 5/21/18: Spring Concludes with Track & Field State Championships
The Tigers embarked on a journey for a California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) state title this past weekend. While they did not haul in the gold medal, both sides landed on the podium after strong performances all around. The men placed second overall after accumulating 122 points, while the women placed third with a point total reading 54.
Men
The men earned second place for the second-consecutive season after finishing behind the Mt. San Antonio College Mounties by a slim margin. They had eight Tigers land in the top three with a pair of athletes earning two medals.
"We had a fantastic meet and the guys really stepped up," said Head Coach Jim McCarron. "Overall, our staff was really pleased with this group of young men and how they performed all season long."
Freshman speedster Antonio Mitchell hauled in a gold medal in the 100M with a time of 10.47. He followed by hauling in the bronze medal in the 200M after clocking a time of 24.41. Freshman Keylan Dennis followed with a third-place showing in the 400M with a clip reading 47.19. Sophomore Alec Hall continued to impress in his two events. He finished with a set of silver medals coming in the 800M and the 1,500M. He recorded a time of 1:52.12 in the 800M and a mark of 3:57.57 in the 1,500M. Sophomore Jeffrey Robbins landed on the podium in the 3,000M Steeplechase with a time of 9:35.83. The Riverside relays remained a highlight of the meet. They snapped the tape in the 4 x 100M Relay with a time of 39.69 with a team consisting of sophomore Christopher Shiley, freshman Jamal Palmer, sophomore Keanon Dennis, and Key. Dennis. They followed with a second-place finish in the 4 x 400M after earning a mark of 3:09.65. That relay squad was made up of freshman Xavier Montgomery, Shiley, Kea. Dennis, and Key. Dennis. Freshman Alec Jones held it down in the field events by walking away with two medals. He earned a pair of bronze medals coming in the Discus and Shot Put. He recorded a 165' 4.75" in the Discus and a 169' 8" in the Hammer. Sophomore Jordon Davis earned second place in the Shot Put with a chuck of 166' 6".
Women
The women landed on the podium in five events. The relay events were formidable while placing third in the 4 x 100M Relay and the 4 x 400M Relay. A 4 x 100M team consisting of sophomore Michelle Pickens, sophomore Argnae Meyers, sophomore Maryjane Smith, and freshman Erica Menchaca notched a time of 48.38. Freshman Dejiah Joseph, sophomore Makenzie Matteson, Meyers, and Smith linked up for a time of 3:53.46 in the 4 x 400M. Joseph continued on to earn a solo medal in the 400M Hurdles with a clip 1:04.34 to second place. She was the lone runner for the Tigers to finish on the podium individually. Freshman Katelyn Baker hauled in a silver medal in the Triple Jump with a distance of 37' 9.5", while freshman Angelique Hudson followed with a second-place showing in the Shot Put with a chuck of 43' 9.25".
Baseball reached the super-regional round of the CCCAA playoffs, but fell short of the sectionals after dropping two games to the Orange Coast College Pirates. Despite the loss, the Tigers were just one of three Orange Empire Conference (OEC) teams to reach the playoffs. They finished with an overall record of 27-17.
The Tigers reached the playoffs after finishing regular season play with an overall record of 25-14. It was the 13th time the Tigers reached the dance under Head Coach Michelle Daddona. Riverside fought well, but eventually were swept by Bakersfield in the opening round.
After earning third place at the OEC Swimming & Diving Championships, the Tigers qualified three swimmers on the men's side to compete at the CCCAA State Championships at De Anza College. Javier Bernal highlighted the competitors while being the lone Tiger to haul in a gold medal. He touched the wall first in the 200 Fly with a time of 1:50.52.
The Tigers saw their top doubles team consisting of sophomore Brittney Diffine and freshman Natalie Escher advance to the CCCAA Individual State Championships after placing seventh-overall in the CCCAA SoCal Regional round. Despite an early exit, the duo played strongly in the SoCal Regional playoffs as seen in a first-round upset over a higher-ranked squad.
Riverside reached the CCCAA State playoffs for the second-straight season after placing fourth in the OEC Championship tournament. They finished seventh overall at the big dance after carding a combined two-round score of 785. Michael Herrera lead the team with an overall stroke count of 149 (75, 74), while Brian Nielsen followed with a 156 (79, 77).
The RCC athletic department is now accepting nominations for the 2019 RCC Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is enshrined with rich history and we are looking forward to inducting the class of 2019! To nominate a former player, coach, team, or supporter, please follow this link: RCC Hall of Fame Nomination Form.
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