Boys track and field: Rojas and Powell come through

Steve Virgen

IRVINE - It’s that time of the year, when runners who have injuries

forget their pain and when personal bests become the norm. The Pacific

Coast League track and field preliminaries at Irvine High featured

athletes who typified heart. Estancia junior Humberto Rojas and Costa

Mesa junior Zach Powell were among the many who put forth their best

effort to reach Friday’s PCL Finals, at 5 p.m., at Irvine.

Rojas, who was ill, went without food for two days and had his

temperature reach 101 degrees last week, came back on the scene on

Tuesday and finished with the top times in the 1,600-meter race (4:30.86)

and the 800 (2:01.98).

“He’s a natural athlete,” said Estancia distance coach Charlie Appell,

who mentioned he wanted to wait until Friday to comment further on Rojas.

“We’ll see what he does on Friday and if he doesn’t relapse.”

Powell, trying to overcome nagging hamstring tightness, advanced with

the top time in the 300 intermediate hurdles (42.89) and also advanced in

the 200 and 400.

“If Zach is healthy (the 300 intermediate hurdles) is going to be a

great race,” Costa Mesa Coach George Greenwalt said. “I’m looking forward

to seeing that one.”

Powell will be closely contested by Corona del Mar’s Chris Carpenter,

who also advanced in the 110 high hurdles. The 300 intermediate hurdles

will also include Estancia sophomore Jason Johnston, who also advanced in

the 110 high hurdles. Costa Mesa’s Devant Xoai advanced in the 110 high

hurdles, as well.

Estancia will have four runners in the 1,600 on Friday. Eagle senior

Mike Casillas, Abel Flores and Panfilo Elias will join Rojas. Flores also

advanced in the 800, as did Elias, a sophomore who ran on a blister that

opened during the 800.

Casillas will compete in the 3,200 at the PCL Finals Friday, when the

field events will also take place.

Corona sophomore Kevin Artz, who advanced in the 800, will also be in

the 1,600 after he grabbed the seventh spot out of eight possible to

advance.

Estancia junior advanced in the 400, while CdM’s Chris Ringstrom and

Mark Cianciulli advanced in the 100.

CdM junior Blake Dillion finished behind Rojas in his 800 heat and

advanced.

Ringstrom will race against Powell in the 200.

Last year at the PCL Finals, Rojas finished second in the 800 and the

1,600. He also finished fourth in the 1,600 in the CIF Southern Section

Division III Finals with a personal-best 4:17.81, which broke the school

record.