Eagles’ Rojas a winner in Poway

Estancia High senior Humberto Rojas ran a season-best 3:58.26 to win

the invitational 1,500 meters at the Poway Invitational track and

field meet Saturday.

Rojas dominated the field, consisting of competitors from five

divisions, winning by more than 50 meters, Estancia Coach Charlie

Appell said.

Estancia senior Diane Rosete was second in the girls invitational

3,200, finishing in a season-best 11:25.58.

In the Division III competition, Estancia’s boys high jump “relay”

was victorious, thanks to senior Zack Novak’s clearance of 6-4,

senior Matt Cachola’s mark of 5-8 and junior Jason Johnston’s mark of

5-8.

The Eagles’ 4 X 800 boys relay of Panfilo Elias, Paco Morales,

Abel Flores and Rojas was also victorious in Division III. Appell

credited the work of Morales, who gave the team an extended lead in

the second leg with a split of 2:08, seven seconds faster than his

previous best. Estancia’s winning time was 8:10.5, the second-fastest

clocking of the day in all divisions.

The Eagles 4 X 1,600 boys relay of Elias, Matt Zich, Morales and

Flores was also victorious, paced by a personal-record split of 4:36

by Flores.

Other top finishes in Division III included:

The 4 X 100 girls shuttle hurdles relay of Ludi Valdez, Amanda

Abbott, Rafaela Sansone and Nicole Wilson clocked a second-place time

of 1:18.19.

Elias, Flores, C.J. Buchmann and Rojas were third in the boys

1,600 relay (3:34.18), while the girls 4 X 800 relay of Valdez,

Fatima Carrasco, Okairy Lomeli and Rosete was third in 10:45. Appell

said Valdez’s effort in the relay was particularly strong, since she

had just finished her sixth-place showing in the invitational 300

hurdles (50.1).

The 4 X 1,600 girls relay of Lomeli, Carrasco, Lucy Leon and

Crystal Rincon was fourth among Division III entries in 2:24.45.

Additionally, sophomore Alex Cahuantzi ran a PR in the boys

invitational 3,200. His time of 10:01.5 was 17 seconds faster than

his previous best.

Estancia’s boys team (4-0 in Golden West League competition) and

the girls (3-1 in league) return to action April 24, when they host

crosstown rival Costa Mesa in a league dual meet.