Girls track and field: Mesa girls cruise

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - As if to prove high school girls track and field is

still something of a new experience, Costa Mesa High freshman Christine

Bjelland needed guidance when asked if any of her three individual event

victories Thursday came with personal-best times.

“I don’t know,” said the winner of the 800 meters (2:41.5), the 1,600

(5:53.6) and the 3,200 (13:06). “I have to ask my mom.”

Turns out none of them were PRs, but the three victories were two more

than she’d earned in any one of her four career varsity meets.

With Bjelland leading the way, Mesa defeated visiting Laguna Beach,

83-42, to even its PCL record at 2-2.

“She’s really taking off,” Mesa Coach John Carney said of Bjelland,

who edged Laguna’s Kelly Jenett by three-tenths of a second in the 1,600

and four-tenths in the 800.

Bjelland, however, won the 3,200 by 96 seconds.

Mesa sophomore Sharon Day also captured three events, winning the 200

(27.4), the 400 (1:06.6) and the high jump (5-4).

Rachel Hughes (13.5 in the 100) and Beverly Aina (34-8 in the shot

put) were also individual winners for the Mustangs, for whom Hughes,

Ashley Schaefer, Lisa Dunn and Stacy Krikorian combined to win the 400

relay in 57.8.

Schaefer was second in the 200 and 400, while Karlene Cluff was second

in the 100 hurdles and the high jump to help Mesa prevail.