Girls track and field: Sea Kings roll past Mesa

Tony Altobelli

CORONA DEL MAR - The Corona del Mar High girls track and field team

put the finishing touches on a perfect Pacific Coast League campaign with

a 97-39 win over visiting Costa Mesa Wednesday afternoon.

“We’ve got some pretty good talent over here, that’s for sure,” a

modest CdM Coach Bill Sumner said. “I’m happy with where we are at this

point and I hope we continue to improve through the league finals and

into CIF.”

There were a number of standouts for the Sea Kings, but none managed

to pull out three wins like Costa Mesa sophomore Sharon Day.

Day took first in the 100- (12.8) and 200-meter runs (26.8) and also

cleared 5-feet-8 in the high jump, her personal best mark of the season.

“Jumping on a quality surface really makes a difference,” assistant

coach and proud father Eugene Day said. “It’s during meets like this is

when she needs to push because this is easy. When the league finals and

CIF rolls around, that’s when it gets tough.”

After a disappointing result at the Arcadia Invitational two weeks

ago, Day cleared 5-8 and nearly set a new high mark at 6-0. “She cracked

a smile when she cleared 5-8,” Eugene Day said. “But when she grazed the

bar at 6-0, her eyes got as big as saucers. She knows she can clear that

mark and she nearly did it today.”

With the exception of Day and Beverly Aina, who won both the shot put

(33-9 3/4) and discus (100-7 1/2) ahead of sister Rachel Aina (30-10 1/4

and 91-8, respectively), it was all CdM the rest of the way.

Leading the Sea Kings’ charge is multitalented Jaycee Mahler, who won

both the 100 hurdles (16.5) and 300 hurdles (49.1), and placed second in

the long jump (14-5).

It was that second-place showing which drew the attention of Sumner.

“I believe Jaycee will be more effective for us in the hurdles and long

jump, rather than the sprints,” Sumner said. “She’s only been in three

long jump events and she’s come in first twice and second once. That’s

not too shabby.”

CdM junior Julie Allen went about her usual business, winning the 800

(2:25.4) and 1,600 (5:16.0). “She was working on a couple of specific

things during her races so she got something accomplished today,” Sumner

said.

Jenny Cummins led a CdM sweep in the 400 (1:01.5), edging out teammates Laura Claster (1:04.5) and Kinzie Kramer (1:04.7).

Another 1-2-3 finish came in the 3,200 where Season Meservey (12:11.9)

edged out Katie Quinlan (12:12.2) and Diana Hossfeld (12:12.5).

Krisserin Canary was a double winner, taking first in the triple jump

(29-2) and pole vault (10-0). “Krisserin’s triple jump was a very solid

mark,” Sumner said.

Jacqueline Thayer was a winner in the long jump, edging out Mahler

with a solid mark of 15-4.