Diablo Girls Won’t Let Streak Die

The walls might be closing in on Mission Viejo’s 19-year South Coast League winning streak, but the Diablos won’t let it go without a fight.

The Mission Viejo girls’ track and field team gave its best performance of the season Thursday against visiting El Toro, winning, 97-39, and sustaining a winning streak that began in 1982.

The Diablos swept four events, taking the top three spots in the pole vault, long jump, 100-meter hurdles and 1,600.

Mission Viejo senior Dana Bethel produced her best mark in a high school long jump competition, leaping 19 feet 4 inches. Her sophomore sister, Morgan, took second at 17-1, a lifetime best.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Morgan said. “I had a lot of confidence and was ready to jump.”

Morgan was able to shake off a disappointing performance last week, when she fouled on all four attempts against Trabuco Hills, which was also a first.

“I just had to readjust my [starting] mark,” said Morgan, whose previous best was 16-5.

Dana Bethel also won the 100 hurdles in 14.9 seconds, the 100-meter dash in 12.9 and the high jump at 5-0.

The race of the day was the 300 hurdles between El Toro’s Danielle de Beaubien, who finished first in 47.4, and Mission Viejo’s Katie Hill, second in 47.8. Hill also won the 400 in 1:00.7.