Running away from home

Mike Sciacca

In a few weeks, construction will begin on a state-of-the-art,

all-weather track at Laguna Beach High.

Needing to find a home away from home until the project is

complete is one of the key hurdles facing the school’s track and

field program this season.

Boys’ coach Dave Brobeck said that most practices will be held at

El Morro School, and the program may have the chance to use the track

at Soka University in Aliso Viejo.

“Also, because we will not have our home track facilities this

season, we will not be having any throwing or jumping events,”

Brobeck said. “We will just be doing running, hurdles and relays.”

The cut in events has been felt in the girls’ program, Coach Earl

Towner said.

Neither team will be hosting actual “home” meets this year, he

said.

“The numbers are low on the girls’ side, and I’ll have about 20

out for the team,” Towner said. “We hope to have strong relay teams

this year.”

Junior Emma Proctor is running for the third year and will help

led Laguna’s girls in distance races. She and freshman Alex Crawley,

will specialize in the one- and two-mile events.

Another freshman, Stephanie Pearson, has shown promise in the 400-

and 800-meters, Towner said.

Proctor, Crawley and Pearson were part of Laguna’s cross country

girls’ team that qualified for the state meet last fall. On the boys’

track, six of Brobeck’s seven runners also ran for Laguna’s league

champion cross country team last fall.

Several, he feels, will be favorites to win league titles in the

800, 1,600 and 3,200.

“Distance runners who should shine are Sean Fuszard, Max Mullender

and Ryan Hedden,” Brobeck said. “In the sprints, Brent Kiling looks

to be one of the top 100 and 200 runners in league, and Justin Rovin

should do very well in the 300 meter hurdles and the 400.”

Laguna’s season begins March 13 at the Irvine Invitational.

The Breakers open Pacific Coast League action on March 25 on the

road at Corona del Mar.