Mission Viejo hurdler Pedrogo not slowing down

The early portion of the track and field season has been marked by strong efforts from some of the county’s most talented underclassmen who have shown maturation beyond their years while providing a tantalizing glimpse into what the future might hold.

 One of those talented performers, Mission Viejo sophomore hurdler Devalle Pedrogo, displayed his extraordinary talent this past Saturday at the Surf City Invitational.

In a race featuring the top two returning 110 meter hurdlers in the county, Pedrogo was locked in tight battle with Edison junior Preston Spence until the final two hurdles. That's when Pedrogo found another gear, finishing the race with a final burst that carried him to the victory.

 “It’s good to have success here,” said Pedrogo, whose time of 14.60 seconds is the second fastest in the state this season. “It’s still early in the season and I’m just trying to get better every race."

Pedrogo began to show flashes of his potential midway through his freshman season, finishing third at the Orange County Championships and second at the South Coast League Finals.

He saved his best for CIF-SS Division I competition. He posted his county-leading time of 14.46 at the Division I prelims. In the finals, he ran a 14.48, narrowly missing qualifying for the CIF-SS Masters Meet, though he was named as an alternate.

Pedrogo acknowledges that before each race, he has a simple approach to reaffirming his belief in his abilities.

 “Every time I get in the blocks, I just try to tell myself to go out and run my race,” he said.

AROUND THE COUNTY

Servite junior Brendon Confer, who was leading the 1,600 meter race Saturday after two laps, was forced to quit the race because of tightness in his hamstring. Confer, who won his heat of the 800 and finished second overall to El Modena senior Billy Vetters, said the injury wasn’t serious. … Mission Viejo senior Jeff Baca threw a personal best 56 feet, 7 inches to win the shot put title Saturday, with Esperanza senior Blake Poole (55-11½) placing second. … Los Alamitos senior Sean Henderson (10.94) won the 100, posting the third fastest time in the state this season. … Esperanza junior Jake Pendleton (165-7) finished second in the discus, and Orange Lutheran senior Blake Ayles (162-½) placed third.

Contact the writer: jeichelberger@ocregister.com