DIVISION III TRACK AND FIELD : Laguna Hills’ Boykin Sails to Victory in 800 Meters

Tiffany Boykin highlighted the Orange County contingent at the Southern Section Division III track and field preliminaries Friday night at Long Beach College.

The Laguna Hills junior ran away from the field early, winning the 800 meters in 2 minutes 18.15 seconds.

It was the fastest time of the evening, edging Trabuco Hills standout Peggy Hall by over two seconds. Hall was the second-fastest qualifier (2:20.51) and also qualified for the 400 final (1:00.42).

“I wanted a fast time today, but I guess I ran a dumb race,” said Boykin, who ran the opening 400 lap in a blistering 1:04.2.

“I slowed down too much in the third 200. I really couldn’t judge how fast I was running,” added Boykin, who has the county’s second-fastest time in the event this season.

Her teammates Tayyiba Haneef (high jump) and Heather McGlone (3,200 meters) easily qualified for next Saturday’s section finals.

Other County highlights included:

--Trabuco Hills’ girls’ 400-meter relay squad qualified in a season-fastest 49.79. Mustang sprinter Rosie Manning also qualified for the 200-meter final, in 26.0. Manning also qualified with a wind-aided season-best in the 100 meters (12.40).

--Laguna Hills’ hurdler Shaheed Qassim ran 15.0 in the 110 highs and 40.70 in the 300 intermediates, easily advancing in both.

--Estancia junior Johann Appell easily qualified in the 3,200, posting a career-best of 9:31.24.

--Laguna Hills’ discus thrower Jesse MacDonald posted the second-best mark in the competition, qualifying for the divisional final with a 154-foot-2 effort. Century senior Ronny Aristando also qualified for next week’s discus final.