Rojas in the pink

Barry Faulkner

Pink, used as an adjective, is defined by Webster as: “The highest

degree, finest example.”

This could help explain why recent Estancia High graduate Humberto

Rojas donned the pink singlet used by the Eagles cross country team

for part of his sparkling postseason run in track and field last

spring.

Indeed, Rojas set an example future Eagles will have difficulty

keeping pace with, compiling a distinguished cross country and track

career unmatched by any of his Estancia forerunners.

Rojas was a two-time league champion in cross country, as well as

the 800 meters and the 1,600, and also contributed to one league

championship in the 1,600 relay.

He won individual CIF Southern Section titles in the 1,600

(Division III as a senior) and cross country (Division III as a

junior) and placed in the top 12 in three cross country state finals,

while finishing ninth (2002) and second (2003) in his two CIF State

1,600 finals.

In addition, he helped the Eagles win Pacific Coast League cross

country championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002, as well as a track and

field team title in the Golden West League in 2003.

Termed “probably the best runner in Estancia history” by longtime

Eagles coach Charlie Appell, Rojas’ battles with the stopwatch were

equally successful.

Rojas, bound for Orange Coast College, eclipsed a 25-year-old

school record in his specialty -- the 1,600 -- as a sophomore, then

proceeded to whittle away at his own mark over the next two years.

For his efforts, the Estancia Boys Athlete of the Year, nicknamed

“Pepino,” is the Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Boys Athlete of the Year.

His best 1,600 clocking came in his final high school race, as he

posted a time of 4:10.58 to finish second at the CIF State finals at

Cerritos College. He was third at the Southern Section Masters Meet

(4:12.73), after winning the CIF Southern Section Division III title

in 4:14.28.

He won his heat and qualified ninth in the 800 at the CIF Southern

Section Division III preliminaries, but elected to drop the event to

concentrate on the 1,600 the rest of the postseason.

His senior postseason began with victories in the 800 (1:55.36)

and 1,600 (4:18.33, a league record by more than four seconds), at

the Golden West League finals. He also ran a leg on the victorious

1,600 relay at the same meet. His performance helped the Eagles claim

the program’s first league crown since 1990.

Rojas’ senior cross country season ended with a seventh-place

finish at the state meet (15:47). He was second at CIF Southern

Section Division III finals (15:21), after claiming the Golden West

League individual title in 15:21, helping the Eagles finish second as

a team.

The 2002 track season included a ninth-place finish in the 1,600

at state finals, after a dramatic second-place finish at the Southern

Section Masters Meet (4:14.71). The performance at Masters was set up

when a top-nine qualifier scratched, allowing Rojas to cash in on his

status as an alternate.

He was third in the 1,600 at the 2002 Southern Section Division

III finals (4:16.40), after winning Pacific Coast League crowns in

the 800 (1:58.81) and 1,600 (4:28.14).

His junior cross country season culminated in a fifth-place finish

in Division III at the state meet, after winning the CIF Southern

Section Division III championship in 15:25.1. As it did his senor

year, the Estancia team finished fourth in its division at the

section finals.

His individual title at the 2002 PCL finals (15:14) helped the

Eagles win their fifth straight league cross country team title.

The 2001 track and field season ended at the Masters Meet, where

he finished sixth (4:18.67). His 4:17.81 clocking that spring

produced a fourth-place finish at the CIF Southern Section Division

III finals. The time, converted to 4:19.41 for the mile, broke the

aforementioned school record that had stood for 25 years.

Rojas was runner-up in the 1,600 and 800 at PCL finals as a

sophomore, after finishing second in the 1,600 at PCL finals as a

freshman.

He was sixth at the 2000 PCL cross country championships as a

sophomore, then went on to finish sixth in CIF Southern Section

Division IV, where the Eagles were second as a team. He was 12th in

Division IV at the CIF State finals that fall.

Rojas was third at league finals as a freshman, then went on to

finish 12th at the CIF Southern Section Division IV finals.