The Mission Viejo boys track and field team took home a South Coast League title and an Orange County championship last season.
This season, the Diablos’ girls team is aiming for a breakthrough.
The Dana Hills girls program has won seven consecutive league championships. That’s seven titles too many, if you ask Mission Viejo.
Led by a pair of outstanding sophomores, Kennedy Gillian and Taylor Arco, the Diablos will attempt to take control of the South Coast League crown this season.
As a freshman, Gillian made an appearance on the Register’s All-County team last year, and she set a school record in the girls 400 meters with a time of 56.87 on her way to CIF-SS finals. She was the only freshman – boys or girls – in any division to make CIF in the 400.
Arco, who was also on the All-County team last year, ran a personal best of 2:13:01 in the 800 last year and was the county champion in the event. She advanced to the CIF Masters competition.
The sophomores, who are also on the school’s 1,600 relay team, are hoping they can make each other better this season.
“It’s very fun, we push each other a lot,” Gillian said. “We just work hard together.”
More in the O.C. track 2014 season preview:
Boys track O.C. preseason top 10
Girls track O.C. preseason top 10
The pair, along with senior Mackensie Peace who is committed to USC, and Megan Miller accomplished quite a feat last month at the California State Indoor High School Track and Field Championships in Fresno, when they finished fourth while breaking the Orange County record in the girls 1,600 relay.
The team ran a 4:06:43, breaking Edison’s record of 4:07:80, which was set in 1985.
The South Coast League belonged to the Mission Viejo boys last season, and they’ll look to build on that this season.
Mission Viejo’s boys team returns Logan Obbards, who ran a 10.95 in the 100 in 2013, and Mike Mathews, who posted a mark of 55 feet in the shot put.
“We have three goals. One is (to win) the South Coast League, which is the toughest league, the Orange County championship, and finally go into CIF and do some damage there,” Mission Viejo boys coach Mike Hoffman said.
“We’re never in Division 2. When we were back in 1998, we won it. So we’re really excited to have a shot at going far.”
MERRITT’S NEXT MOVE
If you’re wondering what Santa Margarita pole vaulter Kaitlyn Merritt can do for an encore following her outstanding sophomore season, when she set the national high school federation sophomore record and the county’s all-time record with a clearance of 13 feet, 8 inches, then you’re not alone.
“Honestly, I’m not quite sure,” Merritt said when asked what she has in store for her junior year.
Merritt, who was named the Register’s Female Athlete of the Year a year ago, noted her goal for this season is to clear 14 feet. If she can clear that, then she’ll aim at 14-3, which would be a national record.
One of the things Merritt has mentioned in the past is her technique, something she believes has a lot of room for improvement. Santa Margarita coach Gil Garcia said he has seen her make strides in that area.
“All summer long, she’s been working on her consistency, her run ups with her pole jumps and things,” Garcia said. “Way more than the year before, so I’d be very surprised if she’s not even more consistent than what she was last year.”
Contact the writer: amorales@ocregister.com
