Track and Field Preview: Pirates ready to run

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - Anyone looking for the strength of Orange Coast

College men’s and women’s track and field squad need to only remember

back to November 21, 1999.

It was on that date when both of the Pirates cross country teams

captured state titles. Not since 1981 had OCC won both men’s and women’s

championships in the same year.

“Our strength, obviously will be in the distance events,” Coach Fred

Hokanson said. “But we have some outstanding athletes on a lot of our

events.”

On the women’s side, sophomore Zoila Gomez, last year’s OCC Female

Athlete of the Year, will look to defend her various OEC, SoCal and State

titles. She won the OEC crown in the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs.

She was the SoCal winner in the 5,000 and 10,000 and the State winner in

the 10,000.

Along with Gomez, Bernice Carbajal will provide stability to the

Pirates’ ladies squad.

“Zoila and Bernice are the backbones of the group,” Hokanson said.

“They’re great girls, who will provide leadership to the younger

runners.”

Hokanson was also excited about pole vaulter Nicole Hanson, who pulled

off a 10-0 jump in the Pirates’ season-opening meet Friday.

“Nicole has the potential to be one of the top vaulters in the state,”

Hokanson said. “I’m sure of it. Anyone that can hit 10 feet so early in

the season is pretty remarkable.”

On the men’s side, there’s an international feeling for the Pirates.

“We’ve got Yong Kim, whose from Tokyo,” Hokanson said. “We have Carl

Olsson, whose from Sweeden and we also have Steven Taelman from Belgium.

It’s fun to have so many different cultures on one team.”

Kim took first place in the 200 and 400 and was the second leg of the

Pirates’ winning 400 relay team. Olsson at Friday’s meet. Olsson claimed

first place in the 110 high hurdles.

Look for Juan Sanchez, Robert Jones and Michael Orozco to have big

seasons in the distance events for OCC. Those three helped the Pirates to

the State cross country title in November.

Perhaps the biggest factor working in the Pirates’ favor is the fact

that, despite a bunch of individual talent, it’s the team-first mentality

that excites Hokanson the most.

“It’s a real pleasure coaching these people,” Hokanson said. “We’ve

got some football players out there that really like to have fun out

there. They’re really nice people that really want to be coached. That

makes the coaches’ job much easier.”

COMMUNITY COLLEGE MEN

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE TRACK

Sean Abeyta Fr.

Troy Becker Fr.

Ryan Belida So.

Sean Chrestensen So.

Caludio Cortes Fr.

Justin Dale Fr.

Dustin Davis Fr.

Hai Do Fr.

Amara Dunzo Fr.

Jeremy Follweiler Fr.

Jesus Gonzalez So.

Newton Hoang So.

Eric Howell So.

Robert Jones So.

Kevin Kelley Fr.

Yong Kim Fr.

Anthony Knutson Fr.

Richie Kukuia Fr.

Jason Locklin Fr.

Charles Loo Fr.

Jose Magana Fr.

Steven Milchiker Fr.

Chris Monachelli So.

Ryan Morinaka Fr.

Gustavo Ojeda So.

Carl-Johan Olsson Fr.

Jose Orozco Fr.

Brendon Payne Fr.

Johnnie Peeples Fr.

Nhoun Pheak Fr.

Richard Price Fr.

Manuel Ramirez Fr.

Gints Salaks So.

Juan Sanchez So.

Robert Schnekenburger Fr.

Steven Taelman Fr.

Derrick Thomas Fr.

Raymundo Vergara So.

Kristopher Visconti Fr.

Scott Williams Fr.

Coach: Fred HokansonCOMMUNITY COLLEGE WOMEN

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE TRACK

Brenice Carbajal So.

Beatriz Cordoba So.

Tiffaney Cordova So.

Nadine Engel Fr.

Jennifer Giffi Fr.

Zoila Gomez So.

Nicole Hansen So.

Bryn Lanfried Fr.

Lauren McDaniel Fr.

Carolina Nava Fr.

Kerica Navarro Fr.

Sinfrosa Orozco So.

Elsa Ortega So.

Jenna Quaranta Fr.

Connie Shuput So.

Heather Shurtleff Fr.

Joanna Williams So.

Coach: Fred Hokanson