Hernandez State Title a First for Moorpark

NORWALK — Eleazar Hernandez of Moorpark College lowered his personal best by more than 28 seconds to win the men’s 10,000 meters in the State junior college track and field championships at Cerritos College on Friday.

In the Southern California championships two weeks ago, the freshman from Camarillo High had outsprinted Bashir Hussain of Riverside in the final straightaway to win. In the rematch Friday, Hernandez timed 30 minutes 46.34 seconds, giving him a 45-second victory over Hussain.

Eduardo Macias of Glendale placed sixth in 32:52.78.

The victory by Hernandez was the first for Moorpark in the 10,000 and only the second win in any distance-running event at the state level. Craig Ingram won the 3,000 steeplechase for Moorpark in 1986.

Hernandez had finished second behind Ramon Serratos of Glendale in the 10,000 in the Western State Conference finals last month after being sidelined because of a hip injury for two weeks earlier in the season. But the time off might have been a blessing as it kept him fresh for the end of the season.

Josh Canales of Moorpark, Jolene Argandar of Antelope Valley and Kim Righetti of Ventura had the other top performances by area competitors.

Canales was fifth in the decathlon after the first day of competition with 3,243 points.

The freshman from Thousand Oaks High posted marks of 11.96 seconds in the 100 meters, 20 feet 5 1/4 inches in the long jump, 36-5 1/2 in the shotput, 6-6 3/4 in the high jump and 55.19 in the 400.

Argandar placed fifth in the women’s 10,000 with a time of 40:15.51, and Righetti placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 125-6.

Dolores Tuimoloau, Righetti’s teammate, placed eighth in the women’s hammer with a throw of 127-10, but she is favored to win the shotput today.