Estancia boys, Costa Mesa girls victorious in Orange Coast League track finals

The Orange Coast League had its own set of changes this school year, and local track and field teams took advantage of the departure of Laguna Beach High and Godinez to ascend to the throne.

Spearheaded by a career day that no one saw coming, the Estancia boys’ track and field team earned its first team league title since 2005 on Wednesday at Costa Mesa High.

The Costa Mesa girls’ team won the league crown, its first in 12 years.

Estancia’s David Acosta leapt to new lifetime-best marks in the boys’ high jump and long jump events.

He started his day with a four-inch personal record in the high jump, placing second at a height of six feet, two inches. He went on to win the long jump (20-11).

Acosta also won the triple jump (42-Âź), and a fifth-place finish in the 300-meter hurdles capped his individual scoring at 30 points for the Eagles.

“Today was just one of those perfect days where I was able to get my technique down, and I got over the bar pretty clean,” Acosta said. “I actually got to jump 6-2 out of nowhere. I took off my spikes before that because I was done jumping six feet. One of the coaches motivated me to jump 6-2 because he said he saw potential in my jump.

“I took a shot at 6-2, and I made it somehow, and that was the best feeling ever.”

Estancia defeated Costa Mesa 148-125 in the boys’ competition, making a significant amount of its gains in the jumps.

The Eagles added two more league champions with Raul Gonzalez in the boys’ shotput (42-11) and Jaycen Cash in the 110 high hurdles (15.96 seconds).

“We’ve spent literally four years building from a small team to about 66 kids now,” Eagles coach Matthew Redding said, adding that he started to tear up a little bit when it was announced that Estancia won the boys’ team title. “It’s great to see all the dedication that they put out this year.”

Costa Mesa’s Tre Villalpando had a big day for the Mustangs on the boys’ side. He won league titles in the high jump (6-4), the 100 (11.83) and the 400 relay (45.44). He also was the runner-up in the 200, giving him 38 points scored for the meet.

Conquering the 6-4 bar puts Villalpando in the conversation to be a contender for a CIF Southern Section Masters Meet bid.

“I’ve been chasing that one for a while now,” Villalpando said. “I’ve been stuck at 6-2 for a very long time. I finally got the 6-4 today. I got pushed by [Acosta], who PR’ed with a 6-2 from 5-10.

“He came out of nowhere, but that just pushed me even harder.”

The Mustangs’ other league titles on the boys’ side came from Kevin Cortez in the 800 (2:03.54), Connor West in the 300 hurdles (40.23) and the 1,600 relay team (3:37.69).

Villalpando’s high jump mark and West’s time in the 300 hurdles were new meet records. Santa Ana’s Maria Hernandez broke the meet records in the girls’ distance races, taking the 1,600 (5:03.85) and the 3,200 (11:05.52).

Costa Mesa’s Diane Molina and Hernandez have a rivalry that goes back to the cross-country season. Molina placed second in both races. Hernandez said that making changes to her diet have helped, including cutting out Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

“During cross-country, she was getting faster times,” Hernandez said. “I think I was behind because I had to make some changes with my diet.

“I was behind in that, so I made changes. It was last minute, but around CIF [for cross-country], I started moving up.”

As a team, the Costa Mesa girls were victorious, holding off Estancia by a final count of 161.5-97.5.

The Mustangs got first-place finishes from Natalia Guzman (13.76) in the 100, Diane Molina in the 800 (2:25.65), Jazmin Lopez in the 100 hurdles (19.04), their 1,600 relay team (4:25.87), Tarah Harmon in the high jump (4-4) and Frida Molina in the discus throw (87-9).

The Costa Mesa girls won their first league championship under head coach Steve Moreno.

“It took everyone’s effort,” Moreno said. “A lot of our athletes stepped up and did four events. We had multiple athletes do four events, so it took everyone stepping up and taking on every event that they could do. That was the difference today.”

Ruby Uchytil starred for Estancia with wins in the girls’ 200 (27.20) and 400 (1:00.54). Natalie Spas also won the girls’ 300 hurdles for the Eagles in 52.16 seconds.

BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD

Orange Coast League finals

At Costa Mesa High

(*) – Denotes CIF qualifier

Team results

1. Estancia 148; 2. Costa Mesa 125; 3. Santa Ana 85; 4. Orange 68; 5. Saddleback 19; 6. Calvary Chapel 16

Individuals

100 – 1. Villalpando (Costa Mesa) 11.83*; 2. Godinez (Saddleback) 11.95; 3. Oien (Orange) 11.96; 4. Pacheco (Estancia) 11.97; 5. Jennis (Costa Mesa) 12.16

200 – 1. Miller (Orange) 23.67*; 2. Villalpando (Costa Mesa) 23.86; 3. Pacheco (Estancia) 23.91; 4. Godinez (Saddleback) 24.24; 5. Zousel (Calvary Chapel) 24.32

400 – 1. Miller (Orange) 52.95*; 2. Ju. Cash (Estancia) 53.74; 3. Diaz (Santa Ana) 53.84; 4. Perez (Costa Mesa) 54.01; 5. Zousel (Calvary Chapel) 54.44

800 – 1. Cortez (Costa Mesa) 2:03.54*; 2. Loomis (Costa Mesa) 2:04.54*; 3. Perez (Costa Mesa) 2:07.59; 4. Hua (Orange) 2:09.08; 5. Bottazzi (Costa Mesa) 2:11.54

1,600 – 1. Duran (Santa Ana) 4:27.65*; 2. Soriano-Guzman (Santa Ana) 4:31.13*; 3. Del Carmen (Santa Ana) 4:31.55*; 4. Cortez (Costa Mesa) 4:38.36; 5.Bottazzi (Costa Mesa) 4:51.33

3,200 – 1. Soriano-Guzman (Santa Ana) 9:48.51*; 2. Del Carmen (Santa Ana) 9:51.66*; 3. Duran (Santa Ana) 10:00.73*; 4. Palacios (Santa Ana) 10:06.38; 5. Cortez (Costa Mesa) 10:20.87

110HH – 1. Ja. Cash (Estancia) 15.96*; 2. West (Costa Mesa) 16.34*; 3. Gibbs (Orange) 16.98*; 4. Pearce (Estancia) 17.17; 5. Lambert (Estancia) 18.57

300IH – 1. West (Costa Mesa) 40.23*; 2. Pearce (Estancia) 41.56*; 3. Ja. Cash (Estancia) 44.88; 4. Oien (Orange) 45.30; 5. Acosta (Estancia) 45.46

400 relay – 1. Costa Mesa 45.44*; 2. Estancia 46.47; 3. Santa Ana 47.68; 4. Orange 48.40; 5. Saddleback 49.15

1,600 relay – 1. Costa Mesa 3:37.69*; 2. Santa Ana 3:49.88; 3. Orange 3:58.08; 4. Saddleback 3:58.12

HJ – 1. Villalpando (Costa Mesa) 6-4*; 2. Acosta (Estancia) 6-2*; 3. Ju. Cash (Estancia) 5-8; 4. Castillo (Estancia) 5-6; 5. Sanchez (Orange) 5-4

LJ – 1. Acosta (Estancia) 20-11*; 2. Miller (Orange) 20-5*; 3. Pacheco (Estancia) 20-1¼*; 4. Nguyen (Costa Mesa) 19-6½; 5. Pearce (Estancia) 19-6

TJ – 1. Acosta (Estancia) 42-¼*; 2. Lambert (Estancia) 41-7¼*; 3. Miller (Orange) 40-10*; 4. Ja. Cash (Estancia) 40-7; 5. Gibbs (Orange) 39-5¾; 6. Ruehling (Estancia) 39-½

SP – 1. Gonzalez (Estancia) 42-11*; 2. Larriva (Santa Ana) 42-10; 3. Bravo (Costa Mesa) 40-1; 4. Tapia (Estancia) 39-6; 5. Vasquez (Calvary Chapel) 38-8

DT – 1. Vasquez (Calvary Chapel) 133-6*; 2. Gonzalez (Estancia) 129-1*; 3. Mondragon (Estancia) 125-1½*; 4. Bravo (Costa Mesa) 121-0; 5. Contreras (Santa Ana) 111-3½

GIRLS’ TRACK AND FIELD

Team results

1. Costa Mesa 161.5; 2. Estancia 97.5; 3. Santa Ana 95; 4. Orange 80; 5. Calvary Chapel 15; 6. Saddleback 10

Individuals

100 – 1. Guzman (Costa Mesa) 13.76*; 2. Millon (Estancia) 13.79; 3. Sutherland (Calvary Chapel) 14.26; 4. Zamora (Santa Ana) 14.49; 5. Guilen (Santa Ana) 14.55

200 – 1. Uchytil (Estancia) 27.20*; 2. Malo (Orange) 27.61; 3. V. Carrillo (Costa Mesa) 27.79; 4. Amar Ra (Orange) 27.80; 5. Millon (Estancia) 28.49

400 – 1. Uchytil (Estancia) 1:00.54*; 2. Sutherland (Calvary Chapel) 1:03.63*; 3. V. Carrillo (Costa Mesa) 1:04.40; 4. D. Carrillo (Costa Mesa) 1:06.54; 5. Olivares (Estancia) 1:07.60

800 – 1. Molina (Costa Mesa) 2:25.65*; 2. Rodriguez (Costa Mesa) 2:33.66*; 3. D. Carrillo (Costa Mesa) 2:35.29; 4. Hurtado (Santa Ana) 2:44.04; 5. Cuatlayotl (Santa Ana) 2:45.70

1,600 – 1. Hernandez (Santa Ana) 5:03.85*; 2. Molina (Costa Mesa) 5:14.17*; 3. Rodriguez (Costa Mesa) 5:24.77*; 4. Garcia (Santa Ana) 5:30.02; 5. Capiz (Santa Ana) 5:30.17

3,200 – 1. Hernandez (Santa Ana) 11:05.52*; 2. Molina (Costa Mesa) 11:18.55*; 3. Garcia (Santa Ana) 12:03.85*; 4. Capiz (Santa Ana) 12:48.80; 5. Alegira (Santa Ana) 13:10.93

100HH – 1. Lopez (Costa Mesa) 19.04*; 2. Nguyen (Costa Mesa) 19.50; 3. Robles (Santa Ana) 19.54; 4. Araujo (Estancia) 19.55; 5. Cruz (Costa Mesa) 19.59

300IH – 1. Spas (Estancia) 52.16*; 2. Cruz (Costa Mesa) 52.19; 3. Vallejo (Estancia) 55.31; 4. Bonner (Orange) 56.36; 5. Lopez (Costa Mesa) 56.79

400 relay – 1. Orange 52.72*; 2. Costa Mesa 53.78; 3. Santa Ana 54.67; 4. Estancia 56.65

1,600 relay – 1. Costa Mesa 4:25.87*; 2. Estancia 4:36.19; 3. Santa Ana 4:42.08; 4. Orange 4:53.85

HJ – 1. Harmon (Costa Mesa) 4-4*; 2. Medina-Guevara (Santa Ana) 4-4J; 3. Spas (Estancia) 4-4J; 4. Meza (Estancia) 4-2; 5. Stillson (Orange) 4-2J

LJ – 1. Malo (Orange) 16-8*; 2. Uchytil (Estancia) 15-0*; 3. Harmon (Costa Mesa) 14-1; 4. Amar Ra (Orange) 14-1J; 5. Spas (Estancia) 13-11½

TJ – 1. Malo (Orange) 32-2½*; 2T. Spas (Estancia) 31-1½*; 2T. Bonner (Orange) 31-1½*; 4. Miller (Orange) 30-6; 5. Zamora (Santa Ana) 30-0

SP – 1. Soto (Saddleback) 31-5*; 2. Molina (Costa Mesa) 29-0*; 3. Avila (Santa Ana) 26-9*; 4. Munoz (Orange) 26-4; 5. Bonanni (Costa Mesa) 23-11

DT – 1. Molina (Costa Mesa) 87-9*; 2. Avila (Santa Ana) 79-6; 3. Munoz (Orange) 73-2; 4. Bonanni (Costa Mesa) 71-9½; 5. Colindres (Estancia) 68-7½

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