Honors: Huipe Eagles’ Girls Athlete of the Year

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Liz Huipe, a recent Estancia High graduate whose

presence at the head of the pack in cross country and track and field

became routine the last three years, was a runaway choice as the school’s

Girls Athlete of the Year.

A three-time state finalist in cross country, Huipe was also a

distance standout in the spring, collecting a series of Pacific Coast

League medals and faring well at this year’s CIF Southern Section

Division III Finals.

She was fourth in the Division III 3,200 meters (11:19.62) at the section meet as a senior, after her 11:14.04 qualifying time at the

preliminaries just missed the school record in the event by less than a

second.

She was third at PCL Finals in the 3,200 (11:31.31), fourth in the

1,600 and helped the Eagles’ 1,600 relay finish second.

Her senior cross country season included a sixth-place showing at the

CIF State Division IV Finals in Fresno. She was third at CIF Division IV

Finals (19:00.3), after finishing third at the PCL Finals.

As a junior, she was ninth in Division IV at the state cross country

finals, fourth in CIF Division IV and fifth at league finals. Her 17:57

clocking at the league meet, however, was a school record and marked the

first time a female Eagle runner had eclipsed the 18-minute mark.

Her junior track campaign included a second-place showing in the 1,600

at league finals (5:19.2). She was also fourth in the 3,200 at the same

meet.

As a sophomore, she once again rode the postseason cross country trail

to its culmination. She began by finishing sixth at PCL Finals (18:53),

then was 10th at the CIF Division IV Finals. In her debut at the CIF

State Finals, she helped the Eagles finish eighth as a team in Division

IV.

She was third in the 3,200 at PCL Finals as a sophomore (11:42).

Huipe will continue on the local scene, having committed to continue

her academic and athletic career at Vanguard University.