Knobbe guides Bobcats to second place at GWI

The Saddleback women's cross country team finished in second at the Golden West Invitational on Friday in Huntington Beach.  Olivia Knobbe ran the race of her short collegiate career, winning individual medalist honors.

After finishing sixth in the opening meet of the year Cuesta, and second among community college competitors at both Canyons and Biola, Knobbe put everything together on Friday in winning in Huntington Beach.  The freshman from Beckman High School crossed the finish line at the 5k in 20:15.37 and was nearly two seconds ahead of her closest competitor from San Bernardino Valley College.  Knobbe's time was nearly 30 seconds faster than her time at College of the Canyons and just a hair off the pace she ran at the Biola Invitational earlier in the month.

Saddleback had its best finish of the year as a team as Knobbe was not alone.  Bradi Steinhardt was 13^th overall after running the course in 21:23.77.  Saddleback had two other finishers in the top-20 as Shaelynn Barbieri finished 17^th (21:44.06) and Jada Kredo was 19^th (22:06.59).  Kaeli Smith rounded out the team score with a 50^th place finish (26:18.19).

Saddleback will compete again next Friday at the San Diego Mesa College Invitational.