Women's Cross Country tops OCAA podium; Men's team finishes fifth
By J. Pascoe
Humber Athletics Communications
The Humber Hawks cross country program delivered a memorable performance at this past weekend's OCAA Provincial Championship in Hamilton at Marydale Park, highlighted by the women's team bringing home the gold medal. This historic feat marks the program's first OCAA banner in ten years.
Women's Team Soars to Championship Glory
The women's squad secured the championship with a dominant performance, fueled by outstanding individual efforts that earned two runners first-team All-Ontarian honours.
Leading the charge in her final provincial OCAA race was veteran Catherine Irwin, who secured a podium finish, crossing the line in third place overall. Her time of 22:28 demonstrated an astonishing pace of 3:45/km, adding another medal to her distinguished OCAA career.
Joining her on the first team was rookie standout Jenny Hartnell, who finished seventh overall with a time of 24:11. Hartnell's stellar debut performance ranked her as one of the two top rookies in the entire class.
The rest of the scoring team ensured the gold-medal victory:
- Skylar Allsopp finished 16th in 25:36, securing the third spot on the team.
- Christina Serrano was close behind in 18th place with a time of 25:55.
- Zoë Collat placed 25th in 27:22.
- Sofia Peña Castillo rounded out the group in 32nd place with a time of 28:55.
With the OCAA title secured, the women now turn their focus to the national stage, looking to claim a medal at the CCAA National Championships in Prince Edward Island in two weeks.
Men's Team Faces Heartbreak in a Fast Race
On the men's side, the team finished fifth, behind Sheridan, Fanshawe, St. Clair, and Mohawk College, following a heartbreakingly fast finish among their top runners.
The men's group was tightly packed, with three runners crossing the line in three consecutive spots. Liam Bauman led the Hawks, coming through in 14th place with a time of 27:24 and a quick 3:26/km pace, earning him second-team All-Ontarian status and a ticket to Nationals.
The battle for the final national qualifying spot came down to a thrilling finish between teammates. Chino Rodney Tagay crossed in 15th at 27:35, solidifying his spot at Nationals. Just one second later, Joshua Pascoe finished 16th in 27:36. Despite running a seven-second personal best, Pascoe agonizingly fell one second shy of a ticket to the CCAA National Championship.
The team's efforts were rounded out by:
- Kyle Obico, who finished 19th with a personal best of 28:08.
- Jaivir Sandhar in 29:08.
- Jean De Grano-Lacroix, two seconds later at 29:10.
Bauman and Rodney will now be looking to extend their 2025 campaign alongside the women's team at the CCAA Nationals.
What's Next?
The CCAA National Championships will take place in Prince Edward Island in two weeks. The women's race is scheduled to begin on November 8th at 1:30 pm ET, followed by the men's race at 2:30 pm ET. The championship website can be found here
