Boys and girls track and field: PCL preliminaries today

IRVINE - The Corona del Mar High boys and girls track and field

teams begin defense of their Pacific Coast League titles today at 2 p.m.

at Irvine High, where league preliminaries will produce individual

qualifiers for Friday’s finals.

Coach Bill Sumner’s Sea King juggernauts, who both swept their league

dual meets, also boast several individuals who aim to defend PCL crowns.

CdM senior Travis Beardslee is the reigning champion at 800 meters, as

is senior teammate Josh Yelsey in the 1,600.

In addition, Beardslee was second in the 3,200 last year at league

finals, while Yelsey was runner-up in the 800.

Estancia sophomore Humberto Rojas figures to provide some distance

competition, having finished second in the 1,600 a year ago.

Costa Mesa senior sprinter Josh Strickland and CdM senior Taumata Grey

(shot put and discus) are others to watch, as is Mesa senior field event

standout Louis Day.

In the girls meet, CdM’s chances are buoyed by the presence of senior

Diana Hossfeld, who won the league 1,600 title last spring.

Krisserin Canary (pole vault) is another defending champion for the

Sea Kings, while Estancia and Costa Mesa have standouts defending league

titles of their own.

Mesa sophomore high jumper Sharon Day figures to be the class of the

field in her featured event, once again, while Estancia senior sprinter

Hanni Geider will try to duplicate last season’s league title in the 100.

Among her foremost competition, will be twin sister Jasmine.

Other running standouts will include CdM’s Julie Allen and Jenny

Cummings, as well as Estancia senior Liz Huipe.

The top nine in each event will qualify for Friday’s finals, also to

be held at Irvine High.