Rosete sweeps to crown

Steve Virgen

Diana Rosete, the Estancia High standout senior cross country

runner, won the Division III race of the Orange County Championships

Saturday. She ran her fastest race of the season, finishing in 18:33.

She had the sixth-fastest time among Orange County seniors. Just

think what she could have done if her best competition, Costa Mesa

junior Christine Bjelland, ran.

“I wish Christine was here because she could have pushed me,”

Rosete said at Irvine Park, where Corona del Mar, led by Becky

Cummins, and Newport Harbor, led by Courtney Marshall, also competed.

Bjelland is out for the season because of a hip injury.

“I feel bad for her,” Rosete said. “I wish she (ran). I have a lot

of respect for her. I admire her. She realizes the talent she has and

she’s taking advantage of it with the way she works. I feel really

bad for her and I wish she was here. But she’s a junior so she’ll be

back next year.”

Bjelland, who walked with aid of crutches Saturday, plans to be

ready for the upcoming track and field season. Doctors aren’t sure

how she suffered the injury, but it most likely came from various

workouts and running amid the pain from the injury.

“I’m frustrated,” Bjelland said.

“But it’s not my senior year and I’m glad I didn’t need surgery. I

should be OK.”

Bjelland and Rosete figured to be the top runners in Division III

Saturday. Rosete ran a smart race, starting out with a steady pace,

falling a bit back, but then increasing her speed and passing

everyone, including Golden West League foe Kaylyn Gallo of Ocean

View. Gallo finished second in 19:17.

“She was very confident,” Estancia Coach Charlie Appell said of

Rosete. “She wanted this race real bad. She ran a smart race,

conservative at first, but then she took control of her area. (The

Estancia girls) ran well. The girls took care of their

responsibilities.”

The Eagles finished sixth among the 24 teams in Division III,

which included Costa Mesa. The Mustangs finished 12th without their

top runner.

Estancia’s Crystal Rincon (27th, 20:56), Areli Flores (42nd,

21:32), Lucy Leon (64th, 22:29), Fatima Carrasco (71st, 22:43) and

Brittany Starn (86th, 23:11) also contributed in the Eagles’ effort.

Sophomore Kindra Bailey led the Mustangs with a 21:51 clocking

(48th), while Ana Rodriguez (61st, 22:21), Hahn Nguyen (67th, 22:34),

Sara Bryant (85th, 23:06), Cara Doone (89th, 23:20), Perla Maroquin

(24:18) and Isai Rendon (24:23) also competed for Costa Mesa.

In Division I, the Sweepstakes race, CdM Coach Bill Sumner

appeared to be surprised his squad finished 13th out of the 15

schools. Esperanza, which won the team title, had its top runner

Alison Costello win the race in 17:30.

Cummins, who ran on sore knees, finished 49th (19:26) to lead the

Sea Kings. Sumner said he held her back with the hopes that she will

regain strength as the season continues. Keelan Cuyler (52nd, 19:32),

Ahlia Kattan (56th, 19:36) and Taryn Kawata (60th, 19:41) followed

Cummins. CdM junior Jenny Logan ran one of her better races of the

season and finished in 19:47 (65th), while Melissa Swigert struggled

and finished in 20:12 (81st), and Devon Ahearn (91st, 20:45) also ran.

In Division II, Marshall, an up-an-coming sophomore, led the

Sailors. She finished in 19:02 (7th) and motivated her teammate

junior Lauren Paul, who was in her second race back from a foot

injury. Paul finished ninth in 19:11.

Newport Coach Eric Tweit’s cross country team finished fifth and

ahead of Sea View League counterpart Laguna Hills, which finished

seventh. The two schools will most likely battle for the third spot

in league in the coming weeks.

“That was a great race by Courtney Marshall,” Tweit said. “She

just keeps moving up each week, gaining more and more confidence and

finding out that she can run with better and better people.”

In addition to Marshall and Paul, freshman Amy Klippert (26th,

20:08), Andi Sarris (51st, 20:58), Mai Caitlin (66th, 21:22),

Courtney Hanson (70th, 21:28) and Irma Cruz (84th, 22:01) also

competed for the Sailors.