Courier

Media Credit: Roger Lai Easter Faafiti helped lead the women's basketball team to its first state championship, one of the many accomplishment PCC athletics had this year.

After six straight trips to the California Community College Athletic Association Final Eight Tournament, six straight years of disappointing early tourney exits, six straight seasons of committing to a high level of play and six straight seasons of hard work and persistence, Joe Peron, head coach of the women's basketball team and his players can call themselves state champions after the Lancers defeated San Joaquin Delta 74-64 on March 15.

All things fell into place for the Lancers in the midst of their championship run this season. The emergence of CCCAA Final Eight Tournament MVP Kinyada Johnson and All-State First Team forward Easter Faafiti as the team's leaders helped the Lancers to a 33-4 overall record.

Johnson's performance this season was enough to earn 2008-09 PCC Athlete of the Year Award, along with 200-yard butterfly state champion swimmer Tai Nuntapramote. The award is given by the Kinesiology, Health and Athletics Division annually.

Much like the women's basketball team, the 2008-09 overall records of most PCC sports teams indicated a positive progression.

In the 2009 season, the Lancers' improvement screamed loudly in the form of championships and some remained as subtle as an enhanced conference finish. Nevertheless, the spirit of Lancer athletics was represented superbly through the 2008-09 seasons.

Badminton

Women's badminton player Priscilla Lun was key in capturing the team SCC title this season. Lun also won the individual title and the doubles title partnering up with Angela Chinn. A stellar athlete, Lun completed the season while pursuing an Olympic career.

Baseball

Even the baseball team, which finished eighth in the South Coast Conference despite finishing seventh in the 2008 season, ended another tough season by improving its record from 7-36 to 8-31 overall.

Cross Country

Due to low numbers, the men's and women's cross country didn't have anyone place at the SCC individual championships in 2007. Both the men's and women's cross country teams, led by third-year coach Armand Crespo, completed a total overhaul by having runners place in the 2008 SCC individual championships. Top PCC runner Ernesto Rodriguez finished in 15th place and top women runner Ashley Hernandez finished 25th.

Continued...

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