SAN MARCOS, Calif. -  The Cal Poly Pomona men's cross country team delivered a statement performance in their 2025 season opener, cruising to the team title in the Cougar Challenge with an impressive 20 points, well ahead of second-place Pomona-Pitzer (59) and third-place Cal State San Marcos (61).
 
Junior Ricardo Vargas led the Broncos, breaking away late to claim the individual first-place title in 24:16.1 – the 16^th fastest 8K time in school history. Teammate Jimmy Guerrero was right on his heels, finishing runner-up in 24:20.1 to give the Broncos a 1–2 punch up front.
 
CPP continued to pack the front of the race, with Daniel Echeveste (4th, 24:24.9), Francisco Zavaleta (6th, 24:29.8), and Tom McDonnell (7th, 24:30.4) all landing in the top seven. With their top five all inside the first seven finishers, the Broncos secured the near-perfect score of 20 points.
 
The depth didn't stop there—Micah Clemons (9th, 24:49.9) and Juan Ramos (12th, 24:57.6) also cracked the Top 12 overall, while Chris Razo (15th, 25:04.4) and Luke D'Elia (20th, 25:14.7) were just outside scoring range.
 
Derek Ynfante (28th, 25:33.9), Micah Chandler (30th, 25:38.8), and Thomas Doherty (31st, 25:39.0) kept the Broncos' depth on full display. Jacob Shirota (39th, 25:54.9), Diego Garcia (40th, 26:01.3), Trevor Benson (76th, 26:48.9), and Mason Colwell (111th, 28:51.8) rounded out the impressive team effort in the season opener.
 
Cal Poly Pomona showcased why they are among the region's top teams, packing up tightly at the front and overwhelming the field. With seven runners in the Top 12, the Broncos not only secured the win, but also sent a clear message of their depth and championship potential.
 
 
Up Next
The Broncos will race at the Master's Invitational next Saturday, September 20^th, in Santa Clarita.
 
 
Bronco Bits

• The Broncos currently have a 7-0 record this season. A "win" is a team they finished ahead of, while a "loss" is teams they finished behind.
• Head coach Chris Bradford's teams have a 538-194 record since 2017.
• This is the 10th time CPP men's cross country has won a race since Bradford became head coach in 2017.
• This was the sixth time the Broncos have competed in San Marcos, and their first time ever winning the Cougar Challenge.
• This was Ricardo Vargas' sixth time being the top finisher for CPP, marking the eighth-most in school history.  
• Eight freshmen made their collegiate debut on Saturday, including Micah Clemons, Luke D'Elia, Derek Ynfante, Micah Chandler, Thomas Doherty, Nathaniel Sackett, Diego Garcia, and Mason Colwell.