COS' Ramirez places first at NorCal preview meet

By Nick Giannandrea

COS Athletics

Ismael Ramirez (Redwood High) was the individual champion to lead COS to a second-place finish at the Toro Park Invitational on Oct. 4 in Salinas.

Ramirez crossed the finish line of the 155-runner field in 20:30.5, nearly 4 seconds faster than second place Luis Ramirez of Diablo Valley (20:34.3). American River's Jesus Guerra-Reyes was third in 20:45.3.

The race was dubbed a preview of the Northern California Championships, which will be held on the same course Nov. 8.

The NorCal No. 2-ranked Giants finished with 88 points, behind only NorCal No. 1 American River, which had 31.

COS' top-five runners also included Oscar Perez (Dinuba), who was seventh in 20:53.8; Evan Loftin (El Diamante), who was 20th in 21:19.5; Cristobal Vasquez (Lindsay), who was 29th in 21:47.0; Victor Cisneros (Lindsay), who was 32nd in 21:50.1; and Christian Gonzales (Corcoran), who was 35th in 21:54.4.

The Giants also had Lucian Linares (Exeter) place 44th in 22:10.2, Angel Barajas-Galindo (Mt. Whitney) place 53rd in 22:27.7, Dominic Izquierdo (Hanford) place 60th in 22:42.8 and Jacob Garcia (Farmersville) place 72nd in 23:10.2.

COS had two runners in the women's field, with Courtney Santos (Hanford West) leading the way by placing 38th in 21:19.5.

Sky Garcia (Mt. Whitney) was 51st in the 96-woman field in 22:12.8.

The Giants' next meet is Oct. 19 at UC Riverside.