PIRATES WIN STATE CROWN ... AGAIN!

FRESNO -- For the second year in a row and 16th time in school history, the Orange Coast College women's cross country team took home the state championship hardware after winning the 2013 California Community College Athletic Association State Meet on Saturday at Fresno's Woodward Park.

In a season where the Pirates were picked to win the state title right from the opening week, the defending state champs did not disappoint. Coast won all eight meets in which they competed -- including the Orange Empire Conference and Southern California Regionals. On Saturday, Coast saved its best for last and claimed the state's top spot with a team score of 73 points.

Glendale College was a distant second with 126 points, while Mt. San Antonio (180), Fullerton (203) and Cerritos (232) completed the top five.

"Yes, it was expected from the girls since they were running very strong from the beginning of the season," OCC head coach Marco Ochoa said. "But nevertheless, they still worked very hard throughout the whole season and it really payoff at the end."

Once again, OCC was led by the sophomore combination of Leanne Allen and Karen Silvas. Allen led Coast around the 5K course and finished sixth overall with a time of 18 minutes, 18.26 seconds. Silvas use a 5:56/mile average and finished eighth at 18:28.47.

Rounding out the scoring times for the Pirates were three fellow sophomores -- Raeanna Cortez, Allison Nagel and Guadalupe Cantoran. Cortez finished 17th overall with a time of 18:57.65, Nagel placed 22nd with a 19:05.47 and Cantoran finished 27th at 19:17.94.

In addition to those five outstanding sophomore, a pair of freshmen runners also earned a spot at the State Meet and both did very well. Kristie Son earned a solid time of 19:46.39, while Mariah Chapin clocked in with a 20:04.88. Both should be solid runners for the Pirates in 2014.

It is the 83rd state championship in the 66-year history of the OCC Pirates.