Apodaca runs No. 4 SBCC time in Southern Cal 10,000

Bradley Apodaca ran the 4th-fastest time in school history (32:26.06) in the grueling 10,000-meter final at the Southern Cal Prelims.
Bradley Apodaca ran the 4th-fastest time in school history (32:26.06) in the grueling 10,000-meter final at the Southern Cal Prelims.

Bradley Apodaca ran the fourth-fastest time in school history and took 12th in the 10,000 final on Saturday during the Southern Cal Track and Field Prelims at Cerritos College.

Apodaca, a freshman from Santa Barbara High, chopped 40 seconds off his PR with a 32:26.06 clocking. Martin Montes was 18th in 33:02.38, also beating his best by 40 seconds.

Alex Heuchert and Bas van Leersum won their heats in the 1500 (4:01.88) and 400 hurdles (53.74), respectively, for the Vaqueros, who qualified 11 athletes for Saturday's Southern Cal Championships, also at Cerritos in Norwalk.

Aaron Mateski was second in the javelin at 55.89 meters and Marvin Magg qualified in the shot put and javelin. Joseph Ochoa, a freshman from Dos Pueblos, threw a two-foot PR in the shot (13.71m) to advance.

Other qualifiers were Tyler Higby (200), Adam Grimmitt (3000 steeplechase, PR of 9:52) and Luke McAllister in the high jump (1.97m).

The Vaqueros' 4 x 100 relay advanced with a 41.93 clocking. Ryan Hoffman led off, followed by Van Leersum, Simon Bailey and Higby.