Sea Kings invade Stanford

Bryce Alderton

Corona del Mar High’s boys and girls cross country teams, fresh off

two victories apiece in Wednesday’s Pacific Coast League-opening

double-dual meet, begin competition in the Stanford Invitational

beginning today.

Sophomore Hilary May, who took first against Northwood and Calvary

Chapel runners in Wednesday’s meet, along with teammates Allison

Damon, Christie St. Geme, Nicole Slykhous, Ahlia Kattan and Devon

Ahearn will lead the CdM girls, ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section

Division III, at Stanford, where top teams from Northern and Southern

California meet.

Junior standout Anne St. Geme, who tore the plantar fascia

ligament in her right foot, will not race. Freshman Allison Gushue is

running in her place.

“It’s a good experience for the kids to see a higher level of

competition,” CdM Coach Bill Sumner said. “It also showcases the

Northern California teams who you will see at [the CIF State

championships.”

CdM has competed at Stanford since 1989. The Sea King girls placed

seventh overall at last year’s competition while the boys finished

11th.

Kenneth Wong, Jack Turner and Ryan Guthrie went 2-3-4 to lead the

CdM boys to two victories Wednesday while sophomore Tommy Hutchison

placed sixth.

Sophomores Jilo Chio and Brian Licorice, along with Andrew Boyd,

Tim Scott and Cliff Taylor, have also contributed in the early going

for the Sea King boys, who began the week ranked sixth in Division

III.

Sumner said this year’s CdM girls team rivals the 1999 squad that

included title Liz Morse, Jenny Cummins and Diana Hossfield, which

claimed the CIF state among others.

CdM girls took seventh in Division III at last year’s state meet.

Times have changed, though, Sumner said.

“We won the state meet by 50 points [in 1999], but the competition

is stiffer now,” he said. “You can’t do that anymore.”