Prep column: Running toward success

Barry Faulkner

Lost faith in humanity? Or merely concerned about America’s future

and the leaders today’s youth will produce? Spend an afternoon at the

Corona del Mar High track.

Assigned to cover the Sea Kings Pacific Coast League boys and girls

track meet against visiting Estancia, I did just that recently.

I wasn’t there but a minute or so before I heard the news that had

been sweeping across campus that day -- that CdM senior Lindsey Yourman

had been accepted at Harvard, where she plans to continue her running

career, before possibly changing the world.

Yourman will, of course, have occasion to visit with her

soon-to-be-former teammates during the Ivy League schedule, with senior

Katie Quinlan already been ticketed for Brown and Jenny Cummins all set

for Yale. All three will, no doubt, renew their bond with 2000 CdM

graduate Liz Morse, who currently runs in a Princeton singlet.

A few days later, I was informed of CdM senior Diana Hossfeld’s

decision to attend Northwestern, where she will run cross country, major

in journalism, and, well, I look forward to the rest.

Little wonder Quinlan, Cummins, Hossfeld and Yourman, all obviously

driven to succeed, provided the nucleus for last fall’s CIF Southern

Section and CIF State Division IV cross country championship team. And,

teaming with Morse, they won the same two cross country titles in 1999,

as well as last spring’s section Division III track and field crown.

Representing the CdM boys running contingent at Yale next year will be

Josh Yelsey, who used a Princeton sweatshirt and Yale warmup pants to

stay warm between races that day.

Another hotbed for college recruiters this year is the Newport Harbor

High pool, where the list of Sailor aquatic standouts moving on to major

universities continues to grow.

In addition to Peter Belden, the CIF Southern Section Division I

Player of the Year in boys water polo who will attend UCLA, first-team

All-CIF performers Ryan Cook and Steven Jendrusina plan to continue their

careers at USC and UC San Diego, respectively.

Joey Snelgrove, a third-team All-CIF choice, is bound for the U.S.

Naval Academy, while goalie Shaun Johnson will continue at UCLA.

Erin Ball will represent the Tars’ girls water polo program at

Michigan.

Another Newport Harbor High football standout has chosen his

collegiate home, as senior offensive tackle Scott Lopez will be a

preferred walk on at the University of Colorado, according to Sailors

Coach Jeff Brinkley.

Lopez was a first-team All-Sea View League and All-Newport-Mesa

District selection last fall.

Newport Harbor senior Chris Manderino, named this week, along with

fellow Sailor standout Alan Saenz, to represent the South in the Orange

County All-Star Football Game this summer, said the coaches at Cal, who

convinced him to walk on, have talked about using him at running back.

Manderino, expected to be steered toward either outside linebacker or

safety at the next level, said he may be able to contribute to the Golden

Bears at tailback and/or fullback.

Former Sailor Mike Freeman, who played tight end and outside

linebacker in high school (Class of 1995), started at fullback during a

two-year stint at Cal.

Mike Montoya, a former All-Newport-Mesa District boys basketball

player at Costa Mesa High (Class of ‘96), who played a season at the

University of La Verne, recently fulfilled a childhood fantasy.

Montoya, reports his dad, Matt, worked a recent Los Angeles Lakers

home game as a ball boy.

In addition to a lifelong memory, Montoya came away with a ball

autographed by all the Lakers players.

“He was on cloud nine,” Matt said.