Lina Cruz Parada finished second in the women's 5,000-meter race at the Modesto Junior College Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 26, clocking 18:41.9 at Tuolumne River Regional Park.
The Aragon High graduate's runner-up finish led the College of San Mateo women in the Bulldogs' fourth meet of the 2026-27 cross country season, according to CSM Athletics.
Cruz Parada built her distance credentials during the spring 2026 track season. She ran 18:50.19 in the 5,000 meters at the NorCal Track Championships, finishing fourth and qualifying for the state finals. She also ranked No. 4 in the Coast Conference in the 1,500 meters with a 4:55.29 at the Mike Fanelli Classic in April 2026.
Her 18:41.9 on the cross country course Saturday came on a different surface and format than the track 5K, but the time signals she is carrying fitness into the fall.
Ariel Perez also ran for San Mateo in the women's race, finishing 22nd in 23:07.7.
Men finish fourth
The CSM men placed fourth overall with 112 points in the 4-mile race.
Sophomore Colin Williams paced the Bulldogs, finishing 21st in 22:15.9. Judah Dulany followed in 28th at 22:53.2.
Tai Nakagawa (38th, 24:34.9), Felix Venancio (39th, 24:39.7) and Ethan Sanger (44th, 25:50.9) rounded out the scoring five. Less than five seconds separated Nakagawa and Venancio.
The men opened the season at the Crush Invitational on Sept. 5 in Fresno, where they finished 22nd with 647 points. Four meets later, the fourth-place result at Modesto shows progress.
What's next
Both teams return to competition Friday, Oct. 2, at the Hartnell College Pink in the Park meet at Toro Park in Salinas.
