CdM squeaks by Estancia

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - While Corona del Mar High’s boys cross country team

was looking at Saturday’s Stanford Invitational as the big one, Estancia

was looking at the CdM meet as it’s big race Thursday afternoon. The

Eagles almost pulled it out, but CdM managed to come back and win, 22-33,

at Fairview Park.

“We took (Estancia) a little lightly, but not too lightly,” CdM Coach

Bill Sumner said. “They blew out Uni, so we couldn’t take them too

lightly. They did a good job. They clearly went out to win.”

Estancia had five runners running in a pack from third place for most of

the race. But the brutal heat and dusty course took its toll at the end

of the course, and CdM managed to break up the pack at the end.

“We ran a very good race for 2 1/2 miles,” Estancia Coach Charlie Appell

said.

Juniors Travis Beardslee and Josh Yelsey of CdM ran one-two the entire

race, and Beardslee ended up winning with a time of 16:33. With the Sea

Kings clinching the top two spots, Estancia tried to finish as a pack.

After two miles, the Eagles were ahead on points 26-31.

“One-two does not win a race,” Sumner said. “Estancia had the next five

kids after them. Five kids. That’s what wins the race.”

Unfortunately for the Eagles, the elements started to affect them. Luis

Segoginao and Abe Inouye were forced to walk the end of the race after

experiencing some side pain, and the Estancia pack was broken.

Humberto Rojas of Estancia finished third in the race with a 17:04. Judd

Heitbrink of CdM finished fourth, just ahead of Estancia’s John Vargas

and Mike Casillas. Dustin Hodges and Kevin Kramer of CdM were next,

followed by Segoginao and Inouye, who still finished within a minute and

a half of the leader despite walking at the end.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Corona del Mar 22, Estancia 33

(at Fairview Park)

1. Beardslee (CdM), 16:33; 2. Yelsey (CdM), 16:43; 3. Rojas (Est),

17:04; 4. Heitbrink (CdM), 17:12; 5. Vargas (Est), 17:16; 6. Casillas

(Est), 17:20; 7. Kramer (CdM), 17:33; 8. Hodges (CdM), 17:37; 9. Inouye (Est), 17:50; 10. Segoginao (Est), 17:56.