Eagles class of the field

COSTA MESA — Teammates and runners from rival schools alike were happy to meet Fernando Orozco’s post-race smile with a high-five and well-wishes Thursday afternoon at Fairview Park.

Virtually no sooner than he had officially put the field behind him at the Orange Coast League cross country finals, the Estancia High senior was eager to engage in the friendly exchanges, accepting congratulations and offering same with a sincerity as genuine as his running talent.

“It’s fun,” said Orozco, who helped lead the Eagles to the boys’ team title. “I like my teammates, I like competing against other people and I’m fine with the people I compete against. I consider them my friends and, hopefully, they consider me theirs.”

Orozco, however, put his consideration aside in the final stage of the three-mile race. First, he and teammate Jorge Martin separated from a Laguna Beach runner who rounded out a trio of leaders. Then, Orozco, who was fourth at last year’s league finals, where the Eagles finished second behind Laguna Beach, pulled away from Martin, finishing in 15 minutes, 29 seconds.

“Jorge [second in 15:32] was with me the whole time,” Orozco said. “He pushed me, but I took him right at the end.”

Martin, a junior, helped fortify the Estancia team victory, as the Eagles’ 34 points bested Laguna Beach (41).

Estancia Coach Charlie Appell credited the work of Orozco, Martin and senior Wes Barloon (fifth in 15:54), but also praised the performances of seniors Damian Leon (12th in 16:34) and Willy Rodriguez (14th in 16:43) for rounding out the scoring five.

“They were the helpers,” Appell said of Leon and Rodriguez. “They really made a difference and pushed us over the top. [Winning the team title] was a good surprise.”

A mild surprise was Estancia freshman Mariah Chapin, who won the girls’ individual title for her first solo victory of the season.

Chapin, whose time of 19:11 was five seconds faster than runner-up Kativa Strickland, a junior from Laguna Beach, helped the Eagles finish second to the Breakers in the team competition.

Chapin, who finished side-by-side with freshman teammate Erika Garcia at a league cluster meet last week at the same site, had been Estancia’s seventh runner the week previous to that at the Mt. San Antonio Invitational. Further, Chapin said she began the year barely able to crack the top 10.

Chapin and Garcia shared the lead past the two-mile mark Thursday, before Garcia faded to fourth place (19:29).

“[Winning] feels really good, because I didn’t start the season well,” Chapin said. “But it was my goal to be first. I wasn’t trying to beat Erika. I wanted her to go with me, but she wasn’t feeling good.”

Appell said he felt good about a fifth-place showing by Sierra Gordon, yet another freshman, who posted a time of 19:47.

Freshman Melissa Correa (10th in 20:23) and senior Jessica Dominguez (12th in 20:26) helped the Eagles post 32 points, four behind Laguna Beach, which placed five runners in the top nine.

“Gordon was our big surprise today,” Appell said.

The Costa Mesa girls, led by sophomore Hunter Strodel (seventh in 19:57), finished third to advance to the CIF Southern Section Preliminaries.

The Costa Mesa boys, however, finished 30 points behind third-place Calvary Chapel, which the Mustangs had defeated a week earlier at a league cluster meet.

“It’s disappointing, because our guys were so ready for this race,” Mesa Coach Chuck Lester said. “We have two strong seniors who we’re losing for next year. But you have to give it to Calvary. [The Eagles] stepped up and we didn’t.”

The Costa Mesa boys were led by senior Drake Burnette, who finished 10th in 16:26.

James Stocker, a junior who Lester said had led the Mustangs all season, was 16th in 16:55. Junior Ignacio Vera (21st in 17:40), junior Irvin Dorantes (24th in 18:06) and senior Jason Rosello (27th in 18:19) rounded out the Mustangs’ top five.

Junior Kaitlin Yamamoto (11th in 20:24), freshman Raquel Friedman (14th in 20:48), senior Cheyenne Lopez (21st in 22:13) and sophomore Maria Munoz (23rd in 22:38) rounded out the Costa Mesa girls’ top five.

Additional girls runners from local schools included Estancia senior Alexa Aguilar (15th in 20:48), Estancia freshman Heather Flores (18th in 21:49), Costa Mesa senior Kelsi Bauermeister (24th in 22:45) and Costa Mesa sophomore Melissa Townsend (22:58).

Estancia boys in the top 20 included sophomore Juan Jeronimo (15th in 16:50) and junior Michael Divala (18th in 17:12).

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].