Girls track and field: Mustangs win, really

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High 1,600-meter relay members Lisa Dunn,

Stacy Krikorian, Ashley Schaefer and Sharon Day were plenty nervous

before their race Thursday against Pacific Coast League visitor

Northwood. The relay event would decide the winner of the meet ... so

they were mistakenly told by Coach John Carney.

The Mustangs’ coach used his own math and told his girls, “You have to

win this event, if you want to win this meet.”

It was, however, the Costa Mesa quartet that pulled a fast one on

their coach.

Trailing some 20 meters, Day, the sophomore anchor, took the baton

from Schaefer and captivated the crowd with a dramatic comeback. She was

still behind by about 10 meters heading into the last n the last 100,

until she turned on the jets and leaned past Northwood at the finish.

Just four-tenths of a second separated the two relay squads.

The Mustangs (1-2 in the PCL) defeated Northwood, 69-55. Yet, entering

the final relay, Carney said the Timberwolves were awarded points for the

pole vault because Mesa didn’t have the facilities and the Mustangs

supposedly led, 65-64. But, Northwood didn’t have anyone who could

compete in the pole vault so it did not receive points.

Carney stuck to his story and reminded his girls of same, hoping the

Mustangs would perform at their best.

Dunn hopped with anxiety, Krikorian began to rub her arms and legs,

Schaefer paced and Day asked, “Coach, let me see that (scoring sheet).”

Dunn, a junior who said she jogged most of her 400 meters, began the

race as she built a minimal lead. Schaefer, a sophomore, grabbed the

baton and lost, then regained the lead in her final 100 meters.

Krikorian, a freshman who had second thoughts of competing in the relay,

maintained the advantage but then fell behind 50 meters before she handed

the baton to Day.

“That win shows you these kids have heart,” Carney said. “They’re not

out here to just play. To come back and win it like that, that’s what

it’s all about.”

It seemed Day had a flair for the dramatic against Northwood. When she

won the 400 (1:03.2), she triumphed with a lean to finish just six-tenths

of a second ahead of her Northwood rival.

Day also grabbed victories in the 200 (27.7) and the high jump

(5-foot-4) as she gave credence to statements Carney made before the

meet.

He said Day “is a stud” and the girls team will only get better

because of its youth, which was also typified by Christine Bjelland.

The Mesa freshman won her first race of the season in the 3,200

(12:55.8) as she finished 46 seconds ahead of Northwood’s second-place

finisher.

“I didn’t know how big my lead was,” said Bjelland, who built her lead

with a strong start and maintained it with a steady pace.

She also finished second in the 1,600 and third in the 800.

Vicky Pham won the long jump (13-11) and Beverly Aina added crucial

points for Mesa by winning the shot put (33-3 1/2). Aina also grabbed

second in the discus (85-9).