Smythe wins SoCal Regionals in 800 for the Pirates
ANTELOPE VALLEY -- A strong performance by sophomore Eamon Smythe highlighted a successful weekend at the Southern California Regional Track Meet for the Orange Coast College men's track and field team.
Smythe took on the top runners in the area and topped the field in the 800 meters, winning the gold with a time of 1 minute, 52.89 seconds. It was a battle down to the finish line as Smythe and West Los Angeles College's Juman Randall went neck and neck to the line. Randall took home the silver with a time of 1:53.14.
Smythe was just one of six OCC men who have earned a trip to San Diego for the next weekend's California Community College Athletic Association Track and Field State Championships, hosted by San Diego Mesa College.
Pirate standout Gabe Warner will be competing in three state meet races after a very successful weekend at Regionals.
Warner, who broke a 49-year-old school record in the 400 meters at the Orange Empire Conference Championships, needed just two weeks to break his own record at the Regionals, with a second-place time of 47.05. His previous-best time of 47.5 topped Jack Malloy's 1967 time of 47.54. He was edged out on Saturday by Mt. San Antonio's Tubotein Taylor (46.62). In the 200, Warner earned a spot at State with a third-place time of 20.85.
In the 400 relay, Warner, along with Jonathan Clayborne, Matt Oyakawa and Jeremiah Lewis finished fourth with a State Meet qualifying time of 42.66. However, due to an injury, Lewis will be replaced at the State Meet by Tommy Duong.
