The men two points shy of a top six team finish

Hartnell College managed a seventh place team finish with 58 points at the 2026 Northern California Championship held at Santa Rosa Junior College. The men were just two points shy of a top six team finish. The Panthers tallied fifteen podium finishes and will advance seven men to the 3C2A State Championship at Mt. San Antonio College on May 15-16.

The highest placing finishers of the championship were sophomores Adrian Manriquez in the 400mIH and Aiden Ishimaru in the hammer throw. Adrian set a lifetime best 53.73 to secure his bronze medal and advance to his first state championship. The Rancho San Juan graduate moves to tenth fastest all-time in program history and has dropped nearly four seconds off his time from his freshman year. Aiden Ishimaru moved to third all-time in program history with a toss of 167-11. He too will be representing Hartnell at his first state championship in two weeks. Freshman Nathaniel Aceves-Aguilar surprised the long jump field with a 22-11.75 jump that took fourth overall. Aceves-Aguilar continues to improve his individual marks in preparation for the state decathlon which he had already qualified for. He was also sixth in the javelin throw. In total, the Watsonville freshman tallied 17 points for the Panthers. Freshman Giovanni Ochoa was fourth in the 10,000 meters (33:03.89) but cannot advance as a result of not meeting the qualifying mark during the season. Sophomore Corbin Osborn will head to his first state championship after setting a personal best in the triple jump at 45-9.50. Osborn also moved into the top 20 all-time. Sophomore Ivan Martinez-Galindo set a personal best 9:47.61 in the 3k steeplechase to extend his dream season in the event. He was also seventh in the 10,000 meters (33:29.56). Freshman Erik Luna Bedolla set a 15 second personal best in the 5000 meters (15:20.52) to place fifth but does not have the State "A" mark of 15:10 to continue on. Sophomore Julian Vargas was sixth in the 5000 meters (15:21.51) and will advance as a result of his 14:54 performance earlier in the season. Freshman Joshua Na advanced in the discus placing sixth and just narrowly missed out in the hammer placing seventh. The men's 4x400 team of Manriquez, Alex Acevedo, Ulises Hernandez-Aguilar, and Xavier Quintero set a season best 3:23.21 to get seventh place. Alvaro Ruelas placed eighth in the 10,000 meters (33:30.62).

The Panthers will have two weeks to prep for the 3C2A State Championship at Mt. San Antonio College.