Porterville boys get first EYL win

An East Yosemite League victory is now in the pockets of Porterville High School boys cross country after the Panthers downed Mission Oak 20-36 in Wednesday’s dual at the Porterville Sports Complex.

Joshua Jimenez took first on the 3-mile course with a time of 17 minutes, 2 seconds. Joshua Meneses (17:40) followed in second and Ethan Rangel (17:57) in third. 

Porterville drops opener, race again Saturday

After an 11-month wait, Porterville High School cross country got their first taste of action Wednesday when they faced off with Tulare Western in both team’s East Yosemite League opener. 

Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Mustangs came away winners in both the boys’ and girls’ varsity races. Western’s boys won 25-33 and their girls, 15-50.

“I’m not sure,” PHS coach Jesus Salas said when asked about why his team struggled. “I didn’t really talk with the kids yet. Probably (because it’s) the first race back in 11 months. But Western was in the same boat and I don’t want to take anything from them. They had a great victory.”

Marauders place third in Div. I race to advance

FRESNO — What’s a state championship cross country meet without Monache High School girls?

After two back-to-back seasons going in Division II, Monache is headed back to the CIF State Championship meet next Saturday, Nov. 30 — this time as a Div. I program.

“I’m proud of the girls, it was great,” MHS head coach Seth Ishida said. “I don’t know of any other (local) team, any other sport that’s up there in second or third in D1. They represented the city well, and their league well. And they represented themselves so well. If anybody had told us a couple years ago that we’d be third in D1, we’d say, ‘Yeah, you’re kidding me.’ And to go to state is a big deal. And that’s always our goal.”