Powell, Huipe among Mustangs leaders

Steve Virgen

They will be the boys behind the scenes this season. While the Costa

Mesa High girls track and field team will grab most of the accolades

and headlines, the Mustangs’ boys squad will be working to improve in

the background.

But that doesn’t mean, the Costa Mesa boys won’t have anything to

boast about. On the contrary, the unnoticed squad will feature talent

from seniors Zach Powell (800 meters) and Danny Krikorian (jumps) and

junior Marco Huipe (distance).

There’s also the unexpectedness that comes with a new league, the

Golden West. That can work to Costa Mesa’s favor. Yet, for the most

part, the Mustangs’ track season will be mostly about developing each

athlete to improve by season’s end.

Mesa will also gain some CIF recognition from a few athletes,

first-year coach Glenn Mitchell said.

Leading the quest for the postseason is Powell, who is skilled in

the hurdles, but will most likely make a name for himself in the 800

this season. Powell won a Pacific Coast League title in the 300

intermediate hurdles last year.

“I would like to see him go to the Arcadia and Mt. SAC

(invitationals) in the 800,” Mitchell said. “I want him to focus on

the 800.”

Mitchell coached the distance runners on last year’s track and

field team. In the fall, he was the head coach of the cross country

teams and this spring he is taking over for George Greenwalt, the

energetic coach who is working full-time at Back Bay High. Greenwalt,

who was a position coach (receivers and secondary) for the Costa Mesa

varsity football team, said he will work in the same type of capacity

for Newport Harbor with Coach Joe Urban Sr. and the freshman football

team this fall.

Mitchell won’t be short of help this season. Former Mesa track

coach Joe Busi returns and will be training the distance runners,

while Eugene Day, the coach of the Mesa boys soccer team, will be

working with the jumpers.

Mitchell said Mesa athletes who have played in more than one sport

this year will improve the boys and track field team this season.

Krikorian, who played basketball in the winter, will be serving

double duty in the spring, as he will also compete for the Costa Mesa

boys volleyball team.

Keola Asuega, Mesa’s star running back who will play for Idaho

State next season, will be competing for Mitchell, too. But, Asuega

will not be in the sprints, as he did last year. He will turn his

focus to the discus and shot put, Mitchell said.

Krikorian’s basketball teammates freshman Scott Knox and senior

Ziad Pepic (jumps) will also be contributing to the Mustangs this

season.

“If somebody from the baseball team wants to run for me, I would

certainly let him,” Mitchell said.