Rojas hums along in 800, 1,600

Bryce Alderton

Humberto Rojas listened to his roommates.

They saw the Estancia High senior try on a pair of black socks and

suggested he wear them during the boys Golden West League track and

field finals, conducted Thursday at Orange Coast College.

Whether it was the socks pulled up near his knees or not, Rojas

continued to show the rest of the league his abilities, doubling in

the 1,600- and 800-meter races and helping lead the Eagles to their

first league title since 1990.

Estancia went undefeated (6-0) in the dual meet season and held

off Santa Ana, which was 5-1 heading into Thursday’s finals.

The Eagles, former members of the Pacific Coast League, scored 119

points to Orange’s 91.

“This is big,” Estancia boys head coach Steve Crenshaw said. “All

the kids have great attitudes and are hard workers. We have been

consistent all the way across. You look at the marks and, compared to

anyplace around, we are doing well.”

Rojas broke a league record in the 1,600 (4:18.33) by four seconds

on a wind-swept day on the Coast track. He also went 1:55.36 to beat

the field in the 800 to automatically advance to the CIF Southern

Section Division III preliminaries next week.

“I was working that last lap today,” Rojas said about the final

leg of the 1,600. “I know next week how much I will have to work.

Coach told me to go out and do whatever I feel.”

Rojas, a state finalist in the 1,600 a year ago, had some help

from Estancia teammates Thursday.

Estancia’s Zack Novak captured league high jump championship with

a clearance of 6 feet, 4 inches while teammate Scott Sankey came in

third (5-8).

Sankey only did three of four jumps before leaving to make it in

time for Estancia’s volleyball match against host Ocean View

Thursday. The Eagles got swept.

Jason Johnston took second in both the triple and long jumps. He

leapt 41-11 in the triple jump and 21-2 in the long jump. Mesa’s

Danny Krikorian set a personal best in the triple jump (40-5 1/2),

his final of four jumps in the event. Novak finished third in the

triple jump (40-8) and Krikorian took third in the long jump (19-2

1/2).

The top two from each event automatically qualify for the CIF

prelims and a third-place finisher can qualify by meeting a minimum

standard for the event.

Versatility led the Eagles to the league title, Crenshaw said. “We

used to rely on the distance kids, but now we are performing in all

our events. J.J. [Jason Johnston] has been doing it all season. If he

is not first, he is still getting second and third.”

Johnston also competed in the 110 high hurdles and the 300

intermediate hurdles Thursday. He and Ocean View’s Francisco Olivas

were virtually even through most of the 110 race, but Olivas got the

final push and won in 15.94 to Johnston’s 15.95. Novak finished third

in 17.72.

“Zack Novak stepped it up big time today,” Johnston said as he

warmed up his legs for the 300 hurdles.

Johnston said he hasn’t decided whether he will race all four

events at the CIF prelims. He finished third in the 300 hurdles, an

event won by Costa Mesa’s Zach Powell in 41.6.

“I nailed the second one with my knee pretty good,” Powell said.

“My form is still rusty because I haven’t really been practicing this

event. But I have another week, so I should be good for CIF. I’m in

better shape now.” Powell took second in the 400 (51.14).

Mesa’s Luke Sapolu threw 131-7 1/2 to win the discus while

Estancia’s Joey Lindquist recorded a 43-4, good for third in the shot

put. Keola Asuega, Newport-Mesa MVP in football this past season and

the district record holder for touchdowns scored (49), placed fourth

in the shot put (42-0). Lindquist threw 116-11 in the discus followed

by Asuega’s 116-4 toss.

Estancia’s Nic Koreerat took third in the 100 (11.97) and the 200

(23.81) while Alex Cahuantzi placed fourth in the 3,200 (10:10.23).

Estancia’s Abel Flores ran the 1,600 in 4:41.13 followed by Mesa’s

Marco Huipe (4:41.27), Carlos Ibarra (4:43.82) and Estancia’s Gerardo

Orozco (4:47.96), as well as Francisco Morales (4:54.55). Huipe

(10:13.44) and Ibarra (10:15.28) finished behind Cahuantzi in the

3,200.