Strickland has chance to bring home CIF title

Five Laguna Beach High track and field athletes will compete Saturday at the CIF Southern Section Track and Field Championships.

The Division IV competition begins at 11 a.m. with field events, with running events to start at 1 p.m.

The finals are at Cerritos College in Norwalk.

Girls

Sophomore Natasha Strickland was a double-qualifier for the girls’ Division IV final, but will compete only in the 3,200 meters.

Strickland won her heat in the 3,200 (11 minutes 16 seconds) and placed second overall in the division at last week’s prelims in Carpinteria. She also had a seventh-place finish (5:14) in the 1,600, but Breakers girls’ coach Steve Lalim said that Strickland “will drop” the 1,600 in order to focus on the 3,200.

“The girls did an awesome job at prelims,” Lalim said. “Even though we only had one girl move on to CIF finals, our girls can hold their heads up knowing they gave it all they had.

“If she runs like she’s capable, Natasha Strickland should compete for a CIF title in the 3,200, and will most likely break her own school record.”

Boys

Seniors Sean Pigden, Tommy Newton and Brett Linkletter and junior Matt Neev, will represent Laguna Beach at finals.

Pigden finished sixth (1:59.01) in the 800 meters. Neev (4:30.74) and Newton (4:31.69) finished second and third, respectively, in the 1,600 and Linkletter (21 feet 6 1/2 ) placed seventh in the long jump.

The Laguna Beach track and field banquet is June 3 (6:30 p.m.) on campus in the North Gym.