Dorn takes impressive triple at NorCal Track Championships
Ericka Dorn has her NorCal triple. And it was impressive.
The College of San Mateo sophomore, out of Westmoor High School, methodically won the 1,500, 800, and 5,000 meter races in succession at last Saturday's Northern California Community College Track and Field Championships at Santa Rosa JC.
She is now qualified for the 3C2A state finals in all three races on Saturday, May 16, at Mt. San Antonio College – and is undefeated against community college competition at all three distances this season.
None of the NorCal races were close. Dorn stayed in command throughout before sprinting to decisive victories – the 1,500 in 4 minutes, 48.79 seconds; the 800 in 2:17.26; and the 5,000 in 18:29.76,
"I just controlled each race," said Dorn. "Time didn't really matter. It'll be a lot faster at state." She was the top individual event scorer at NorCals.
Dorn leads the state this year with her CSM 800 meter record, 2:13.42 clocking in an open collegiate field at Azusa two weeks ago.
She started the 2025-26 running season becoming the first CSM woman to win a Northern California cross country championship, taking the title at Fresno's 5,000 meter Woodword Park course in November. Dorn is now a 4-time NorCal champion.
CSM women won all four middle and long distance races on Saturday. Deia Kerseg-Foreman was a surprise victor in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, sprinting away in the stretch to defeat state leader Gabriela Cardenas of Hartnell in 11;38.87, the number two time in the state this season. San Mateo, therefore, will have state women's title contenders in the four longest Saturday races at Mt. SAC.
Kerseg-Foreman, a sophomore from Half Moon Bay High, trailed by 4 1/2 seconds at the bell, then ran a 1:26 second final lap to win going away – by nearly eight seconds.
"That race was exceptional," said CSM coach Kajari Burns. "She had been out a month with personal issues."
"I sat and waited," said Kerseg-Foreman, who also noted the health issues that had kept her out of competition. "I ran my own race. I'm very excited about going to state. I'll just keep training -- and focus on skills. After running distance in high school, I just wanted to try something different (at CSM) -- the steeplechase. I found out I was pretty good at it."
Lina Cruz Parada scored for CSM in both long track races, behind Dorn, finishing fourth in the 5K (18:50.19), to qualify for the state finals, and seventh in the 1,500 (4:59.04). The Aragon High grad has the state "A" standard in the 1,500 at 4:55.29, which makes her a possible state meet entrant.
Arianna Hathorne (Oceana) was seventh in the 100 meters for the Bulldogs in a personal best 12.43. Ariel Perez cleared the sixth place height of 4-11 in the high jump but scored in seventh place on misses. The Westmoor grad also ran a personal best in the 100 meter hurdles prelims 15.89 for ninth overall but fell just short of making the 8-women finals field. Perez was tenth in the 400 hurdles heats (1:08.08), again narrowly missing the finals.
--Those women totaled 51 points to finish sixth in the team standings – ahead of Coast Conference champion Hartnell, in eighth place (49), as 21 colleges scored. Modesto took the team title.