Manny Bautista XC Invite hosts top ranked SoCal cross country teams
SAN DIEGO - The Manny Bautista XC Invite was host to a midseason clash of top ranked CCCAA SoCal individuals and teams that faced off for the first time this season. The meet took place on Friday, October 6 at NTC Park Liberty Station, San Diego hosted by SD Mesa College. The course was Flat, fast and mostly on grass and dirt trails.
The meet is named after Manny Bautista, who is very much alive, who recently retired after a 14-year coaching career at Mesa College. Bautista's teams won 4 State Championships. His 1994 Women's State Cross Country Championship team was the first Women's State Championship team in school history. The 1998 Women's State Championship in Track and Field Team remains the only State Track and Field team in school history to win a state championship. Bautista's 2000-2001 Men's State Cross Country Teams were voted the number one community college team in the nation. Upon his retirement in 2002 Bautista had been voted California Community College "Coach of the Year" four times.
Meet notes from Dyestat
Matthew Donis of Mt. San Antonio College won the men's 4-mile race in 19:59.9 (COURSE RECORD) at the Manny Bautista Invitational at NTC Park at Liberty Station in San Diego, leading the Mounties to a 33-35 victory against host San Diego Mesa College. Donis was one of seven athletes for Mt. SAC to finish in the top 16.
Alexis Noble of San Diego Mesa College finished fourth in the women's 5-kilometer race in 18:50.9. Noble was the top two-year college athlete in the field, helping the Olympians secure second overall as a team with 44 points. San Diego Mesa had five scorers in the top 20 to secure top honors among all two-year college programs, trailing only University of San Diego with 29 points.
Mt. San Antonio College won the men's 4-mile race by a 33-35 margin against host San Diego Mesa College at the Manny Bautista Invitational at NTC Park at Liberty Station in San Diego. Matthew Donis prevailed in 19:59.9, with Johnathon Zavala finishing fourth in 20:23.5, Joel Fischer (20:52.1) and Noah Chairez (20:52.9) were 10th and 11th, respectively, with Christian De Loye (21:00.8), Aidan Gomez (21:08.8) and Isaac Torres (21:09.3) securing 14th, 15th and 16th, respectively, for the Mounties, who also had Andrew Villeda (21:11.8), Jonathan Aguilar (21:16.0) and Jordan Galindo (21:17.1) grab 19th, 20th and 21st, respectively.
San Diego Mesa College had five athletes place in the top 20 to finish second in the women's 5-kilometer race with 44 points at the Manny Bautista Invitational at NTC Park at Liberty Station in San Diego. The Olympians were the top two-year college program in the race, earning runner-up behind University of San Diego with 29 points. Alexis Noble was fourth in 18:50.9, Joelle Tonne took ninth in 19:47.2, Sophie Moser-Smith (19:48.3) and Kyana Cook (19:50.2) achieved 11th and 12th, respectively, and Haidyn McKenzie captured 20th in 20:10.9. Madison Decker grabbed 26th in 20:27.3, Kate Touchet secured 29th in 20:29.6, Sidney Garcia produced a 34th-place finish in 20:43.3, Azucena Hernandez finished 37th in 20:57.3, Vanessa Ramirez was 39th in 20:58.8, Isabella Gilmore crossed the line in 49th in 21:32.7 and Phoebe Araujo earned 67th in 22:50.2 for the Olympians.
Dyestat Video Interviews
MT. SAC 1ST PLACE MEN'S 4-MILE RACE - SAN DIEGO MESA MANNY BAUTISTA CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL 2023