Track & Field
Men's State Runner-ups - 2006,2007
The Raider Men finished in 2nd place at the CCC State Track Meet. Eki Faagai and JR Jeffrey won individual state titles in the Discus and Javelin. The Lady Raiders qualify 3 athletes for the State Meet and finished in 21st.
Men's WSC Champions - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Track and Field at the State Meet. The Men's and Women's track teams competed at the California Community College State Championship Meet. The Men finished 2nd and the women finished 21st. FAAGAI and JEFFREY EARN INDIVIDUAL TITLES. The setting, on a bluff high above the San Francisco Bay, was majestic. The view, however, wasn't so enjoyable for the Raiders men's track and field team California Community College championships. The Raiders, despite two individual state champions and four runner-up performances, could only watch high atop the College Heights Stadium bleachers as Pasadena City College ran away with the state team title in the two-day meet's final event. "We definitely left a lot of points out there," said sophomore thrower Matt Hanley. "But stuff happens." Moorpark, with 70 points through 20 events, held a five-point lead over Pasadena entering the final event, the 4 x 400- meter relay. The Raiders, however, didn't qualify a team while Pasadena and third-place Sacramento City had the event's favorites. The Lancers' quartet sprinted away with the title to relegate the Raiders, the 2003 state champions, to a second straight second-place finish, 75-70. The finale downbeat came hours after Eki Faagai provided a moment of glory. Adjusting his technique to accentuate his legs, the sophomore thrower won the discus event in 163 feet, 6 inches on his sixth and final attempt. "It was do or die," said Faagai. "I just wanted to help my team." Faagai defeated Sacramento's Matt Artua, who edged Faagai for the title last season. "What a competition," said Moorpark throws coach Bob MacKay. "Eki's a technician. (Artua) is a big, powerful guy. It's that kind of battle." MacKay dubbed Artua "Eki's Ghost." "What a great day," said Faagai. "I was trying to kill it with my arm. That last throw, I just relaxed." Faagai's performance came one day after sophomore J.R. Jeffrey overcame shoulder and elbow injuries to win the javelin. Four other Moorpark athletes braved the windy conditions to earn second-place finishes. Rex Bridgeforth, the defending triple jump champion from Rio Mesa High, moved to second on his final jump (47-8). "The wind played a huge factor," said Bridgeforth. "It was going in a circle." Danny Sharf, a Thousand Oaks High product, used the wind to his advantage in coming from behind in the third lane to earn second in the 400-meter hurdles (53.37 seconds). "The conditions were horrible," said Sharf, who is ranked No. 6 nationally in the event. "I had to run a smart race." Josh Lubeck, another Thousand Oaks graduate, finished second in the pole vault, breaking his school record at 16-0. Moorpark's Buck Sullivan was the runner-up in Friday's hammer throw. Sophomore Ricardo Morales was seventh in the steeplechase (9:48.18), sophomore Eugenio Guidi was ninth in the 1,500 meters (4:03.90) and Hanley was seventh in the shot put (48-2).
On the women's side. American River won the women's team title with 90 points. Moorpark finished in 21st (13 points) to edge 23rd-place Ventura (12) and 25th-place Oxnard (10). Moorpark's Alexaraee Toeaina bounced back from a difficult regional meet to finish third in the discus (154-7).
Men's and Women's Track and Field at Southern Cal Finals. The Raider Track and Field teams traveled to UC San Diego and competed in the Southern California Finals. The Men brought home the Southern California Championship with a score of 96 points followed by Riverside City College, 87.5 points. In all, the Men qualified 12 athletes for the State Meet. The Women finished in 13th place and qualified three athletes to go to the State Meet. The California State Meet will hosted by San Mateo College.