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Nash, Avalos Help Pace MJC Cross Country Team
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Now suiting up for the Modesto Junior College Pirates, Nora Nash, left, and Gabby Avalos competed at the recent state cross country meet in Fresno, helping the team to a 14th place overall finish in the state for this season. Photo Contributed

A pair of former Lady Cougar runners – Nora Nash and Gabriella ‘Gabby’ Avalos – have continued their cross country careers in college and turned in outstanding performances this season.

After the regular season, they qualified for the Northern California Championships and Nash was also named to the All Big 8 Team, according to Modesto Junior College head cross country coach Demitrius Snaer.

The team then qualified for the state meet on Nov. 23 in Fresno by placing fifth at the Northern California Championships.

“We were one of only three teams in Northern California with the men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the state meet,” Snaer said.

The competition in Fresno was at the Woodward Park course and was hosted this past Saturday.

There, Nora Nash placed 37th out of 170 runners competing in the state meet.

“She ran 19:59.7 which is a phenomenal time on that course,” said Snaer. “Gabriella Avalos placed 81st in 20:49 which was over one minute better than her best time on this course.”

Nash was second for the Pirates team, Avalos took third for the Pirates.

The two former Lady Cougars helped the MJC Pirates team place third among Northern California teams and 14th in the state for the season.