Bjelland helping keep Mustangs in playoff hunt

female athlete of week--bjellandCosta Mesa senior does not want to end her high school basketball career before team makes CIF.Tracy Bjelland is an athlete for all seasons.

The 5-foot-8 Costa Mesa senior is a volleyball player in the fall, a basketball star in the winter and a track and field standout in the spring.

In volleyball, she led the Mustangs to a third-place finish and a CIF Southern Section playoff berth despite being hampered by an ankle injury. She was the go-to girl in crunch time for the Costa Mesa girls’ volleyball team and made the Daily Pilot Dream Team, not to mention the All-Golden West League first team.

She appears headed for similar accolades in basketball after stringing together three stellar Golden West League games last week and helping keep the Mustangs in the CIF playoff race.

Bjelland scored 15 points in Costa Mesa’s 59-32 victory over city rival Estancia on Tuesday. She came back and netted 22 points in the team’s 60-50 win over Westminster on Thursday.

She then concluded the busy week by tallying 17 points and nine rebounds in the Mustangs’ second victory of the week over Estancia -- this time a 52-40 triumph on Saturday.

Costa Mesa has won five of its last six games as it angles toward the postseason.

Bjelland is proficient at shooting mid-range jumpers and taking the ball to the hoop for the Mustangs.

“She can really create her own shots,” Costa Mesa Coach Jim Weeks said. “We like to set her up on the wing so she can take it to the basket. She has a great first step.”

Bjelland often ends up at the free throw line as defenders try to contain her offensive creativity -- and she makes the most of it.

“She draws a lot of fouls and she takes advantage of it because she’s a polished free-throw shooter,” Weeks said.

Bjelland, a small forward/shooting guard, is also strong defensively.

“Her size and quickness makes her versatile on the defensive end,” Weeks said.

Bjelland, who has kept busy the last couple of years playing both high school and club volleyball and basketball, said she feels all the hard work is starting to pay off.

“I feel because of the last couple of years of working hard in the different sports, that everything is just clicking for me,” Bjelland said.

Does Bjelland have a sport she prefers over the others?

“Whatever sports season I’m in is my favorite,” she said. “I feel I’m equal in all sports -- strong in all three.”

Bjelland said she hopes her abilities as a basketball player will help land Costa Mesa in the playoffs. After all, this is the last year of prep basketball for her and fellow teammates such as Bethany Vergara, Judie Akansel and Deanna Sanchez, who are playing together for the fourth straight year.

“We’re playing as a team -- we’re playing strong right now,” Bjelland said. “More than half the team is seniors, so we’re all striving hard for this right now.”20060204RS1NKPBFNo Caption20060204iu4zu5ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)