Freshman Daniel Tapia became the fifth runner in Hartnell College history to win the Northern California individual cross country title, taking top honors at the 2008 NorCal championship at West Valley High School in Cottonwood on November 8. He was named the Outstanding Northern California Male Runner of the Year.
Tapia secured the win in the final half mile of the race when he overtook the only athlete in the state to beat him this year, Anthony Costales of American River College. Costales had edged Tapia in the first race of the year at the Fresno Invitational.
Tapia's win makes it two titles in a row for Hartnell as Enrique Lopez garnered the same honor last year.
Tapia, the former North Monterey County High School athlete, ran a course record time of 20:48 minutes to win by 7 seconds. As a team, the Panthers finished sixth with 161 points.
Tapia also won the individual title at the Coast Conference Championships held in Golden Gate Park on October 28. Tapia finished convincingly with a new Hartnell and course record of 19:45 minutes for four miles, which dipped under the old mark of 19:47 set by Butte College's Oscar Uribe in 2005. Uribe went on to win the state title. Sophomore Hector Aleman added a second place finish for Hartnell in 21:02.
The men will conclude their season at the state championship in Fresno on November 22nd.
Three lady Panthers represented Hartnell at the Norcal meet with two advancing to the state meet. Sophomore Dominga Arzate placed 44th in 21:51 with her teammate Jazmin Suarez in 48th at 22:02. Arzate will return to the state meet for her second consecutive year, while Suarez qualified on her first attempt. Suarez earned all-conference honors a week earlier. Freshman runner Amparo Olivo placed 79th in 24:07.
