Byrd soars to the top

COSTA MESA — Costa Mesa High junior Antwon Byrd broke the school’s 46-year old record in the 100 meters Thursday as the boys’ and girls’ teams defeated visiting cross town rival Estancia.

The Mustang girls won the Orange Coast League dual meet, 110-22, and the Mesa boys won, 84-34.

Byrd’s time of 10.78 seconds beat Peter Matthews’ times of 10.80, which he set in 1962 when the school was just four years old.

Byrd knew he was close, but he left the meet unaware of his accomplishment. Costa Mesa Coach Diane Bjelland tracked down the record after everyone cleared off the field.

Byrd has been working all season on slicing away tenths of seconds by quickening his reaction time and focusing more on his starts.

“I think I’m on par with where I want to be at, at the end,” Byrd said. “I should get my goal of at least 10.6 by the end of the season.”

Now Byrd tries to enter an almost meditative state on the starting blocks. He focuses on keeping his eyes forward and blocking out everything else, so that the only thing he’s waiting for is the crack of the starter’s pistol.

“It’s not down perfect,” he said. “It’s a work in progress.”

While Byrd has also worked at his reaction time, his form has changed since his freshman year as well. Bjelland said he used to sit back, but now brings his hips forward, which cuts time, too.

“If you can tweak the little things, that’s how you’re going to get down in the low 10’s,” Bjelland said. “He’s just a great young athlete, and in his case, it’s just all pure talent. He’s just refining being a great athlete right now ... He just knows what he needs to do. I don’t coach him. He’s doing all the work.”

Byrd also won the 200 and contributed to Mesa’s wins in the 400 and 1,600 relays.

On the girls’ side, freshman Hunter Strodel carved a breakaway path in the 3,200, taking first place a full minute and one second ahead of the second-place finisher.

Strodel won in 13:03, and she said her personal best in the event is 12:40, which she ran at the Surf City Invitational in the frosh/soph group, where she finished ninth.

Just for comparison, the best runner at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational, Mission College Prep junior Jordon Hasay, took first place this year with a time of 10:03.07 in the same event.

At five feet tall and just 87 pounds, Strodel almost looks like she’d break if she ran too hard. But Strodel would be perfect for cross country, Bjelland said. Strodel already plays soccer on the Pacific Central club team. She missed preseason training for track because she was playing on the Mustangs’ soccer team as they entered the postseason.

“This is all natural ability,” Bjelland said. “As she trains, as she learns about the races and gets that education, she’s going to be phenomenal. I don’t even want to give you what I think she’ll surpass. There’s a perfect balance of talent and attitude and she’s got that.”

The Costa Mesa girls (3-0, 2-0 in league) are carrying an undefeated streak that stretches to the beginning of last season. The boys are 1-1 overall and 2-1 in league.

Junior Fernando Orozco and senior Eunice Rodriguez were the leaders of the day for the Eagles. Both took first place in the 800 and 1,600 meters.

This marks the second straight track season that Estancia has struggled because of the lack of a close home practice facility. Both the girls’ (0-3, 0-2 in league) and boys’ (0-3, 0-2 in league) are winless this season.

Last year, Estancia’s track was off-limits because it was a construction zone for the new stadium that has its grand opening Friday morning. The displaced Eagles runners, jumpers, and throwers now practice at Orange Coast College. Eagles Coach Charlie Appell said the team had shrunk by about 50 percent because athletes couldn’t make the 4 p.m. practices.

“They have jobs,” Appell said his frustration palpable.

Before, practices began at 2 p.m. Despite the fact that the all-weather track has been completed for weeks, no one has been allowed to practice or compete on it.

Orange Coast League newcomer Godinez also participated in the junior varsity and frosh/soph events. The Grizzlies will be able to compete in varsity events next season.

Orange Coast League

Boys

Costa Mesa 84, Estancia 34

100 – 1. Byrd (CM), 10.78; 2. De La Mater (CM), 11.66; 3. Galvin (CM), 11.79.

200 – 1. Byrd (CM), 22.4; 2. Gudino (E); 3. Astorino (CM), 24.8.

400 – 1. Mendoza (CM), 55.93; 2. Gudino (E) 56.2; 3. Astorino (CM), 56.8.

800 – 1. Orozco (E), 2:11; 2. Leon (E), 2:13; 3. Brunette (CM), 2:15.

1,600 – 1. Orozco (E), 4:57; Martin (E), 4:59; Stucker (CM), 4:59.

3,200 – 1. Martin (E), 10:46; 2. Stucker (CM), 11:02; 3. Jeronimo (E), 11.29.

110 HH – 1. Yasuda (CM), 18.36; 2. Gemayel (CM), 19.67; 3. Saldana (E), 19.9.

300 HH – 1. Yasuda (CM), 45.35; 2. Luong (CM), 48.09; 3. Saldana (E), 48.3.

400 relay – Costa Mesa (De La Mater, Galvin, Astorino, Byrd), 45.25; Estancia, 47.39.

1,600 relay – Costa Mesa (Brunette, Byrd, Mendoza, Astorino), 3:44; Estancia, 3:48.

LJ – 1. Yasuda (CM), 18-3; 2. Wright (CM), 17-5; 3. Phan (E), 15-10.

TJ – 1. Wright (CM), 37-6; 2. Capistrah (E), 34-9; 3. Gemayel (CM), 34-7.

SP – 1. S . Guzowski (CM), 44-11; 2. T. Guzowski (CM), 41-40; 3. De La Mater (CM), 40-5.

DT – 1. T. Guzowski (CM), 111-8; 2. De La Mater (CM), 103-5; S. Guzowski (CM), 103-3.

Girls

Costa Mesa 110, Estancia 22

100 – 1. T. LaBare (CM), 12.71; 2. Plaia (CM), 13.78; 3. Trinh (CM), 13.9.

200 – 1. T. LaBare (CM), 27.41; 2. B. LaBare (CM), 28.62; 3. Plaia (CM), 29.18.

400 – 1. Thomas (E), 1:05; 2. B. LaBare (CM), 1:06; 3. Yamamoto (M), 1:08.

800 – 1. Rodriguez (E), 2:38; 2. Strodel (CM), 2:30; 3. Valencia (E), 2:56.

1,600 – 1. Rodriguez (E), 5:55; 2. Strodel (CM), 5:59; 3. Sanchez (CM), 6:09.

3,200 – 1. Strodel (CM) 13:03; 2. Argueta (CM), 14:02; 3. Valencia (E), 14:35.

110 IH – 1. Bjelland (CM), 17.5; 2. Crosby (CM) 18.3; 3. Herbel (CM), 19.04.

300 IH – 1. Thomas (E), 53.11, 2. Yamamoto (CM), 54.01; 3. Crosby (CM) 56.18.

400 relay – Costa Mesa (B. LaBare, K. Bjelland, T. LaBare, A. Krikorian), 52.3; Estancia 57.4.

1,600 relay – Costa Mesa (Suarez, McNulty, B. Labare, T. LaBare), 4:42; Estancia, 5:17.

HJ – 1. Daley (CM), 5-0; 2. Williams (CM), 4-10; 3. Judkins (CM) 4-0.

LJ – 1. Williams (CM), 15-3; 2. Bjelland (CM), 13 1/2 ; 3. Daley (CM), 13-7 1/2 .

TJ – 1. Williams (CM), 33-6; Daley (CM), 30-10; Bjelland (CM), 30-9.

SP – 1. Lopez (CM), 34-5 1/2 ; 2. Ieremia (CM), 32-5 1/2 ; 3. Leatigaga (CM), 30-2.

PV – 1. Krikorian (CM), 8-0.

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at [email protected].