For CdM, it’s just a matter of showing up

Bryce Alderton

In search of any semblance of competition by the final event of the

afternoon, Corona del Mar High’s boys and girls track teams looked to

one another.

After already posting stunning victories -- the girls won, 121-0,

while the boys earned a 110-17 triumph -- over a depleted Laguna

Beach squad in a Pacific Coast League dual meet, the 1,600-yard relay provided a smidgen of drama on an otherwise relaxed Thursday

afternoon on the CdM track.

With the quartet of Brian LaPerle, Matt Morris, Blake Dillion and

Chris Ringstrom racing to a 4:13.3, the push was on for second and

was it close with the CdM boys and girls running along side one

another in the event.

Melissa Swigert -- who anchored the final leg of the 1,600 relay

with Kinzie Kramer, Lindsey Manning and Kelly Morgan -- burst ahead

of J.C. Turner at the beginning of the final 400. But Turner turned

up the octane the final 100 yards alongside cheers from the remaining

CdM faithful and teammates and barely beat Swigert.

“She was torching me and probably would have won if she didn’t

slow down and talk to me on the back stretch,” said Turner, who ran

in four events.

CdM Coach Bill Sumner knew Laguna Beach was rebuilding, but he

said he didn’t think Thursday’s meet would be as lopsided.

“It makes it hard when you don’t have a track to compete on,”

Sumner said. Laguna will have one meet at home this season, but

surrounding construction is making the school’s track a storage yard

for equipment, said first-year Laguna Coach Paul Cook.

Sumner let athletes dabble in various events, resting some in

preparation for Saturday’s Orange County Track and Field

Championships at Trabuco Hills High in Mission Viejo. Sara Claster

had never run the 800 but picked it up quick, taking first in 2:29.9.

Claster, along with all runners Thursday, dealt with a brisk wind

that blew in competitors’ faces along the back stretch of the track.

“It’s like running into a wall,” said Claster of running against

the wind. Apologies to Bob Seager. “It motivates you to go faster.

The cold makes it harder to keep the muscles warm.”

Not even the chilling wind could keep many CdM runners cold on the

track Thursday.

Junior Chris Ringstrom earned a personal best in the 100 --

clocking a 10.9 -- while also participating on two winning relays.

Kevin Artz bolted to a 56.7 the first 400 yards of the 800, but

faced some stronger resistance before finishing in 2:10.

“The last 300 yards I just died,” Artz said. “This wind was

killing me today. I’ve been trying some new things in practice to try

to get under two minutes, but it obviously didn’t work today.”

Artz also won the 200 in 23.4. Sumner didn’t realize the junior

was running until he saw Artz sprinting by.

“See, this is fun,” Sumner said.

Becky Cummins, Melissa Swigert and Linsey Wood all doubled on the

girls side. Cummins took the 1,600 (6:02.1) and 3,200 (13:01.5) while

Swigert won the 200 (26.5) and long jump (14-9 1/2). Wood won the

shot put (25-9 1/2) and the discus (86-11) for CdM (5-1, 1-1 in

league).

Swigert and Cummins will compete in Saturday’s championships along

with Ahlia Kattan, Anne St. Geme, Stephanie Sitzer and Kelly Morgan.

Sitzer placed first in the 100 low hurdles (18.6).

Matt Morris raced to first in the 400 Thursday (54.5) and Mike

Rudinica crossed first in the 3,200 (10:45.8) for CdM (5-1, 2-0).

Dillion, Ringstrom, LaPerle and Morris took first in the 400 relay

(45.6) with Swigert, Kramer, Manning and Morgan first (53.8) in the

same event.

To sum up the light-heartedness overflowing on the track Thursday,

a CdM timekeeper provided these words.

“We’re having too much fun,” he said jokingly. “I want some pain,

sweat, tears.”