Sea King girls sparkle

Chris Yemma

Despite another rivalry matchup, it was just a typical day for the

Corona del Mar High girls track and field team.

But a typical day for CdM usually means a victory.

The host Sea Kings defeated nemesis Newport Harbor, 75-64,

Wednesday in a tri-meet also involving Marina, though the Vikings

were a mere blip on the scoreboard with 20 points.

Another day, another W for CdM (2-0).

“On the girls side it was pretty much business as usual,” CdM

Coach Bill Sumner said, a line he has used many times regarding his

girls’ track and cross country teams.

“Except for, business as usual this time means we have to get a

couple of girls back in shape.”

Fresh off soccer season, juniors Alex Tobiessen and Kelly Morgan

are easing into the track swing. Tobiessen, who won the 100 meters in

CdM’s first meet, only competed in the 1,600 relay Wednesday. Morgan

anchored the same winning 1,600 relay team, and also won the 400 in

1:00.5.

Sumner said it will take a while for those two to get back in

their groove, but the regulars are ready.

Annie St. Geme, Hilary May and Melissa Swigert cruised to

victories in their respective events. St. Geme won the 1,600 in 5:13

with May directly behind her in 5:13.5. May won the 800 in 2:19.9 and

Swigert won the 100 (12.3) and 200 (25.1).

Both St. Geme and May made appearances at the CIF State

championships last season in the 1,600, and are looking to go back

again.

“Right now we are just cruising,” said May after winning the 800.

“It doesn’t really get competitive until, like, April.”

The CdM girls distance and middle distance runners almost had

their events locked up, sweeping the 1,600 and having two finishers

in the top three in the 800 and 3,200, but a heavyweight Newport

Harbor runner crashed the hopes of a sweep in the 3,200.

Junior Whitney Blue, who finished second at the CIF State Division

II cross country championships this past fall, won the 3,200 in

11:07, a personal record.

“I was going to take it easy,” Blue said, “but then the CdM girl

(Sara Cummings) was on me the whole time, so I decided to pick it

up.”

Cummings finished second in 11:10.9 for the Sea Kings.

CdM also received a boost from sophomore Tiffany Liu, who won the

100 hurdles (16.9), long jump (16-2 3/4 ) and triple jump (33-11).

The throwing events was where Newport, on the girls and boys side,

picked up some points.

Jessica Bodkin and Ciara Lawrence placed first and second in the

shotput, while Amber Munnelly, Bodkin and Lauren Celek went 1-2-3 in

the discus.

Newport boys Bo Taylor, Trevor Theriot and Kevin Williams were the

top three shot putters, while Taylor, Kurt Kalanz and Kevin Williams

were the top three discus throwers.

Marina won the boys competition with 77 points, but Newport Harbor

topped CdM, 60-25, for second.

Taylor and company aided quite a bit.

“They’re huge, they’re a big part of our team,” said Newport boys

Coach Nowell Kay about the shot and discus athletes. “I told them --

and I was only half kidding -- that I expect them to sweep those

events in every meet.”

Newport junior Sean Campos won the 100 high hurdles (17.1) and the

long jump (19-2).

* Complete results in Briefly.