High School Track & Field: Olsen in a different dance

If Jaycee Olsen has it her way, she'll be like a made-up model competing in the discus event Saturday in Clovis.

That's because the Corona del Mar High senior plans to have her make-up done before the finals of the CIF State Track and Field Championships so that she can still attend her prom. Of course, she has to make it there first.

Olsen is one of five local athletes competing in the state meet, which begins today with the preliminaries, at Buchanan High in Clovis.

CdM seniors Marisa Cummings and Melanie Powers are in the 3,200-meter race Saturday. Newport Harbor senior Jake Taylor is competing in the shot put and Mater Dei senior Scott Cook of Newport Beach is in the pole vault.

Olsen competes in the discus at 4:30 p.m. She'll try to make it to Saturday's finals.

"I'm nervous," said Olsen, who finished fourth at last week's CIF Southern Section Masters Meet after throwing 139 feet. "That's where the top-of-the line athletes will be. I'm just going to try my best."

Olsen was speaking during a phone interview on her way to Clovis. She said she is planning to compete in the finals and make it a bit late to her prom.

"I'm doing my make-up before I throw [on Saturday]," said Olsen, bound for UCLA. "I'm going to figure out the hair situation later. It's going to be tough. I told my date I'll be late.

"I'm really excited. I think I'm more excited for state, way, way more excited. Prom is going to be fun, but there's nothing that can replace state."

Powers accompanied Olsen in the car up to Clovis. The Wake Forest-bound Powers said she will spend a good portion of today cheering on Olsen. They are sharing a room together. Cummings plans to travel to Clovis today, Powers said.

Powers is making her first appearance in the state meet. Cummings finished fifth in the Masters Meet at 10 minutes, 25.67 seconds last week. Powers advanced as an at-large entry, qualifying in 10:37.34.

"I'm going to relax, and pump up Jaycee for her prelims," Powers said of what she'll do today. "I just want to soak it all in and get adjusted of being somwhere else other than home."