SUCCESSFUL DAY FOR MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

VALENCIA - Joshua Cummings finished third in the 400 and Kyle Schilling was only three inches off the school record in the shot put helping several Marauders into next week's Western States Conference finals at Bakersfield College.

Cummings cruised Friday afternoon in his heat and crossed the line in 48.60. Cummings, who has the best time in the conference this season (47.91) will certainly draw a good lane next week. Cummings will face Ventura College's Tristan Griffith who had the best time of the day and a season best for him as he finished in 48.01.

Robert Brennan of College of the Canyons who has the second best 400 time in conference this season (47.96), finished with the exact time as Cummings on Friday and will be more competition for him. Glendale College's Keyon Hardin, who has run 48.03 this season, finished with the fourth fastest time of the day (48.74). Hardin could draw lane No. 3, which could bode well for him as he could possibly have the three top finishers in his sight in that lane.

"Going into the meet I wasn't trying to PR. I wanted to run a good time, but I was a little bit tight out there. I was just trying to move on (to the finals)," Cummings said. "I'll be ready going into Bakersfield. We trained really hard this week. I'm really hoping I'm on the inside of him (Griffith). I'm going for a PR next week. When I hit that 300 mark I just have to go for it. It only gets harder from here."

Joining Cummings in the final is teammate Micah Robinson who had the eighth fastest time of the day crossing the tape at 49.54. Jordan Rayfield finished in 51.81.

Bradley Wiggs finished sixth in the 10000 meter run with a time of 32:20.68. Vahagn Isayan of Glendale won the event in 32:02.75. The 10000 meter run and all the field events were finals. They will not compete next week in Bakersfield.

Schilling had what AVC head coach Mark Covert called "a breakout meet." Covert said Schilling was only three inches off the school record. Schilling finished second in the shot put behind Moorpark College's Josh McClure. Schilling put a personal best mark of 51-01.50. McClure finished with a distance of 51-07.00.

Joshua Fatherree had his best meet of the season and finished third in the javelin with a toss of 155-06, to earn six points for the Marauders. Austin Gunn finished one place from scoring in the same event and finished ninth in 136-01.