News: PCC Men's Track And Field Captures State Championship

The year was 1984. Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. The Detroit Tigers and Pasadena City College alumnus Darrell Evans won the World Series. And the PCC men's track and field, coached by Skip Robinson, won the state championship. It turned out to be the last state team title won by any PCC sport. That was until Saturday.

The year was 1984. Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. The Detroit Tigers and Pasadena City College alumnus Darrell Evans won the World Series. And the PCC men's track and field, coached by Skip Robinson, won the state championship. It turned out to be the last state team title won by any PCC sport. That was until Saturday.

Twenty-three years later, sophomore sprinter Edino Steele forever etched his name in PCC sports history by winning four events, including two relays, to help the Lancers men's team capture the 2007 California Community Colleges COA Track and Field Championship held May 18-19 at College of San Mateo. PCC took home the state trophy by scoring 75 team points, defeating Moorpark College (70) and Sacramento City (69).

Fittingly, with PCC trailing Moorpark, 70-65, going into the final event, Steele anchored the Lancers' 4x400 relay team to an easy victory with a winning time of 3 minutes, 11.82 seconds. The PCC squad of Terrance Jones, Dominic McGiffert, Mario Hughley, and Steele beat the next fastest team--Riverside--by 3.29 seconds. The 10 points for the win put Pasadena over the top for the '07 state title.

Earlier, Steele won the 200 meters title with a 20.76 effort (his fastest time came earlier this season at 20.32). In winning the 400 meters title, Steele raced his career best with a mark of 45.77 seconds as teammate Hughley ran second at 47.25. Steele also teammed with Omar Brown, McGiffert, and anchor man Hughley to give PCC a win in the 4x100 relay. Their time of 40.26 edged City College of San Francisco's 40.50.

The four event victories is a PCC school record for most event triumphs at a state meet by an individual. Steele duplicated the feat he accomplished at the Southern California Championships last week at UC San Diego.

[Photo--Man Of Steele--Edino Steele anchors the 4x400 relay win and a PCC state championship title at the COA Championships Saturday at College of San Mateo, image by Richard Quinton, PCC Sports Information photographer.]

PCC Head Coach Jim Richardson won the state title in just his second season in charge of the men's/women's track programs. Richardson also won a state men's title while coaching Long Beach City College in 1995.

Brown, a freshman, took third in the 100 meters, edged out barely for second by San Jose's Trevore Archie. Brown finished at 10.565 (10.57) and Archie hit the finish line at 10.563.

Joaquin Gomez, son of PCC Sports Hall of Famer and assistant track coach Jesse Gomez, picked up six points for the team with his third place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Gomez ran a mark of 9:27.95.

The state title is the third in men's track and field by PCC. Besides '84, The Lancers won in 1978, also under Robinson, the school's current Athletic Director/Dean of the Physical Education Division.

PCC's state team win seemed to be a case of destiny as the Lancers only finished fourth at the South Coast Conference Championships (won by Mt. San Antonio), then improved to third at the Southern California Championships. Moorpark was the SoCal champion. The lopsided strength in the sprinting events allowed PCC to gain an overall edge going into the state meet.

Richardson was aided in the team's successful season by PCC assistant coaches Gomez, Pat Williams, and Edward Washington.

In women's competition, Pasadena's Essence Wyatt lost her bid for an individual state title in the triple jump. Wyatt settled for second place with a leap of 38-0.25, losing out to Mt. San Antonio's Angela Brazley (38-4.25). The PCC small women's contingent officially tied for 27th place. American River won the women's state championship.

HOW PCC MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD WON FIRST STATE TITLE IN 23 YEARS

Event, PCC athlete(s), Place, Time/Mark, Points, Running Total

Long Jump, Everton Taylor, 2nd, 23-1.75, 8 points

3,000 Steeplechase, Joaquin Gomez, 3rd, 9:27.95, 6 points (14)

4x100 Relay, PCC, State Champion, 40.26, 10 points (24)

400 Meters, Edino Steele, State Champion, 45.77, 10 points; Mario Hughley, 2nd, 47.25, 8 points; Dominic McGiffert, 5th, 47.80, 4 points (46)

100 Meters, Omar Brown, 3rd, 10.57, 6 points (52)

200 Meters, Steele, State Champion, 20.76, 10 points; Hughley, 8th, 21.83, 1 point (63)

Triple Jump, Taylor, 7th, 46-11.75, 2 points (65)

4x400 Relay, PCC, State Champion, 3:11.82, 10 points (75)

Release Date: 05/19/2007
Contact: Robert Lewis , Sports Information
Phone: (626) 585-7018
Email: rmlewis@pasadena.edu