CdM gets a jump

Steve Virgen

The intricate development process began for the Corona del Mar High

track and field teams Wednesday. And, from the looks of it, the Sea

Kings made huge strides in terms of progress right from the get-go.

That, according to longtime CdM Coach Bill Sumner, who was impressed

with what his boys and girls teams did out of the starting blocks in

a tri-meet that included the St. John Bosco boys and the St. Joseph

(Lakewood) girls.

Both Sea King squads did not win, yet CdM individuals and relay

teams displayed the promise which excited Sumner. The Fountain Valley

boys and girls won, while the CdM girls finished second and the Sea

King boys third.

“For me, this was a good day,” Sumner said. “Now, I want to do

like Verizon, (its ad slogan), and make progress everyday. I want us

to ask, ‘When we’re this good now, how good can we be six weeks from

now?’ ”

The CdM boys 1,600 relay team of senior Blake Dillion and juniors

Kevin Artz, Brandon Borcoman and Chris Ringstrom, provided a prime

example of the Sea Kings’ potential this season. The Corona quartet

finished in 3:30.9, five seconds faster than the times posted last

season.

“I’m really excited about that four-by-four team,” Sumner said.

“To start off like that, and with a time like that, is a big deal.”

Sumner also added the relay team’s performance could motivate the

other runners to follow its lead. Ringstrom, who competed in four

events Wednesday, anchored the relay and completed his 400 meters in

51.0.

Ringstrom won the 400 in 51.7, finished second in the 200 (2:32)

and also anchored the victorious 400 relay team that finished in 44.8

despite a shaky exchange that came from Dillion to Ringstrom. The two

were teammates on the CdM boys soccer team that shared the Pacific

Coast League title this season.

“I felt slow at the beginning,” said Ringstrom, who scored the

game-winning goal against Northwood that helped lead the CdM boys

soccer team to a share of the PCL championship. “I feel like I should

be faster. But this is a different type of running style. I’m not

running from people or really chasing people, like in soccer.”

Sumner said Ringstrom showed eagerness to contribute to the track

and field team, as soon as the soccer season ended.

“Not only does that (eagerness) say a lot about him, but it shows

how hard he works,” Sumner said. “He just said, ‘I’m ready to work.’

So we have to tell him to do it right and bring him along slowly.”

The CdM girls track and field team was moving quickly. Sophomore

Melissa Swigert (100 and 200), junior Sara Claster (400), freshman

Annie St. Geme (800) and sophomore Kate Heeschen (high jump)

collected victories for the Sea Kings.

St. Geme also completed an impressive performance in the 1,600.

She went stride-for-stride with Fountain Valley senior Bethany

Nickless, one of the better distance runners in Orange County. St.

Geme finished in 5:24.8, just six-tenths of a second behind Nickless.

“She’s good; she’s really good,” said Nickless, who has narrowed

down her choices for colleges to UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara.

Swigert also impressed with her double and she also anchored the

victorious 1,600 relay team, that included Claster and sophomores

Nicole Parise and Whitney Wiedner.

The CdM track and field teams will return to action Wednesday,

when they host Back Bay rival Newport Harbor and Marina.