Bobcats 3rd at Saddleback Invitational

The Saddleback men's track & field team was impressive at the Saddleback Invitational on Friday inside the stadium.  The Bobcats won five events and gave the other programs a chance to see the new facilities while finishing third. 

It has been awhile since Saddleback hosted a big event in track & field.  Last year the Bobcats hosted a small event during a pandemic-ravaged season, which acted as a warm-up for the event on Friday.  Saddleback finished third to Orange Empire Conference (OEC) foe Orange Coast College and El Camino College on Friday, beating Southwestern College, Cuyamaca College and Bakersfield College.

Saddleback had five individual winners on Friday as Brandon Pizano-Pintor, Marquis Colvin, Steven Shadell, Sam Gatta and Ezekiel Sapp all stood at the top of the podium.  Pizano-Pintor (pictured) won the 3,000 steeplechase in a time of 10:14.54 to win by over 15 seconds.  Colvin was a winner in the 800 meters when he set a personal-best with a time of 1:56.65.  Shadell set a personal-best in winning the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:11.22.  Gatta was a winner in the shot put when he had a toss of 13.91 meters (45' 7.75").  Sapp was an easy winner in the hammer throw when he set a personal-best with a toss of 37.16 meters (121' 11"). 

Saddleback had other top-5 performances turned in by Jullian Dorantes-Lara, Timothy Lacanienta, Jacob Bambao, Grant Karn, Trazler McGrath, Koa Kosco, James Begando and Coleton Klingenmeier.  Dorantes-Lara was second in the 1,500 meters (4:15.06) and third in the 3,000 meters (9:22.34).  Lacanienta was fourth in the 3,000 steeplechase (1:45.90) while Bambao was fifth (1:50.80).  Karn finished in third place in the high jump when he tied a personal-best 1.80 meters (5' 10.75").  McGrath and Kosco both cleared 3.90 meters (12' 9.5") in the pole vault to finish fourth and fifth, respectively.  Begando finished in a tie for fourth place in the long jump when he leaped 6.28 meters (20' 7.25").  Klingenmeier had a personal-best in the discus (30.75 m) in finishing second. 

Saddleback will be back in action on Friday at the Arnie Robinson Invitational at San Diego Mesa College.