Wildcat distance runners shine at Wildcat Invitational
Iresh Molina, Damian Garcia double winners on the day

Saturday, March 8, 2025
Comments & 5 photos by Gary Towne/Chico State Distance Coach

The Chico State Wildcats distance corp have officially opened their 2025 track season with the hosting of the Wildcat Invitational last Saturday. Four year schools Humboldt State, Monterey Bay, Southern Oregon, and host Chico were joined by a plethora of local community colleges on a beautiful spring day. As per usual at this meeting, the host Wildcats loaded up the 1500's, with most doubling back for either an 800 or 5k's. Overall the results on the day were quite promising, and it was great to get back to action on the oval. Please follow along for some updates on the day.

Women's Steeple: Red Shirting true frosh Katelyn Espino enjoyed a solid debut in the barrier event. The goal was to break 12 minutes, and 11 minutes and fifty nine seconds later, the Foothill HS (Pleasanton) alumna had accomplished her goal. With the steeple being a race that rewards experience, we're excited to see what's in store for Katelyn as we move forward.

Women's 1500m: The Wildcat women had a Very impressive outing in this one. Della Molina took the pace out a bit hot in 69 seconds, with twin Iresh on her heels. Realizing the start wasn't sustainable the two hit the brakes (too much) and the 10m gap that separated the pair from the pack was dissolved by 800m. Now with a large lead group developing, the third lap was covered a bit closer to 75 seconds. As the leaders flew by yours truly with 120m remaining, true frosh Kaya Scuba held a slight lead over 5-6 teammates who all ran within a few seconds of the pace.

Iresh Molina would emerge with the biggest close, crossing the line in 4:41.31. Fellow Sophomore Sienna Bianchi followed just one hundredth of a second behind. Della Molina, Kaya Scuba, Olivia Beshorner, and Jasmine Fletcher would take the next 4 places, all running under 4:47 on the day.

A few highlights from this one: Sienna's 4:41.3 misses her PB by a fraction of a second. Olivia Beschorner PR's by 15 seconds! Catherine McGuire, who has never run competitive track but is a member of our soccer team, reached out to me in the fall about coming out for track. Not getting much playing time on the pitch, I got the OK to write her some workouts for the fall. Saturday she ran the second 1500 of her life in 4:47.07! Not to be outdone in this area, true frosh Kira Forsberg never ran track in HS and instead played softball. She would enjoy a 4:56 first track race Ever! Forsberg doubled back later with a workout effort 18:47 in the 5k.

Men's 1500m: RS Frosh Devin Pereira (who's coming off a fall injury and will open up in a few weeks) paced the fast heat through 1k, towing teammate Damian Garcia through 62/63 second revolutions. After inheriting the lead Garcia (a 4:03 miler) never looked back, running away from the field with a 3:54 season debut. The race for second was a great one with Travis Selby, and Adrian Hipolito battling Humboldt's Carson Smith over the final 400m. Smith would win the battle for second, but Selby and Hipolito crossed in 3rd and fourth. Jesus Villarreal and Hunter Dougherty would finish next in 6th and 7th (both under the 4 min threshold). The 'Cats would end up taking 13 of the top 20 spots in this one.

Women's 800m: Monterey Bay's Rachel Hoops took this one out at an honest pace, with Chico's Sienna Bianchi following a second or two behind through the quarter (67/8 split for Bianchi). Sienna took the lead on the backstretch in the final lap and looked to be racing to victory, but Hoops (being the baller that she is ;v) employed the full-turn-press on the field over the final 150, taking the win. Chico's Sidney Garcia (doubling back from the 15) made a strong move over the final 250m eventually taking 2nd overall. Bianchi's 2:17.8 left her just shy of her 2 lap PR (post 1500). Soccer star Catherine McGuire (mentioned above in the 15 write up) doubled back with a stellar 2:22 PR.

Men's 800m: A quartet of Humboldt men took the field through the bell lap of the 800m in a modest 60 second split. Damian Garcia (who was returning from a win in the 1500 earlier) seized the lead and squeezed the pace down substantially over the second lap. The Turlock native would hit the tape in 1:56. Red shirting true frosh Emanuel Wallace doubled back from the 15 with a second place finish here in 1:59.

Women's 5,000m: The plan for most of those running the 5k's for the 'Cats was to approach them at 10k effort, given that most had raced a few hours previously in 1500's. Della and Iresh Molina ran through early splits of 5:30/11:04 with Humboldt's All Region XC runner Artana Nice following for as long as she could. The early pace caught up with Nice just after 3200m, and the twins eased away, (even as their own paces slowed a bit). Iresh would take her second win of the day with an impressive 17:18 opener. Della would follow in 17:23. Sophomore Megan Malloy looked great taking 4th in 18:38, as did true frosh Isabel Rosales (18:38). Rosales, who spent her final two years of HS in Mexico, was running her first track meet since her sophomore year of HS.

Men's 5,000m: With the Chico men also dialing in around 10k intensity for the 12.5 lapper Brayden McLaughlin did a lot of the heavy lifting keeping the pace at the front on an even 72 second per lap clip throughout. Predictably the lead group whittled down with each passing lap starting just after 1600m. A quick final lap gave the 2 time All American (McLaughlin) his first win of the season. Second placer Adrian Hipolito enjoyed an impressive 3:58/14:58 double on the day. CCAA steeple champ Hunter Dougherty would finish 3rd after an earlier sub 4 1500.

Next Up: Next up: Sac State's Hornet Invite on Friday 3/15 (3k/Steeples), and Saturday 3/16 (8/15's)