Sailors surprise again

Steve Virgen

Newport Harbor High’s story of redemption, teamwork and improvement

continued at the CIF State cross country championships Saturday here

at Woodward Park.

In the Newport girls’ newest chapter, they seemed to have defied

the odds once again, as they finished fifth in Division II of the

state meet. They finished ahead of Sea View League champion

Woodbridge, again, and in front of Cypress.

Newport, Amador Valley and Cypress were tied at 226 points, but

the Sailors’ sixth runner, freshman Lily Dierkes, who finished 107th

in 20:20, was the top sixth runner of the three schools.

Amador Valley finished sixth, Cypress seventh and Woodbridge took

eighth with 228 points. College Park won the Division II title with

73 points, while Granite Bay senior Caitlin Chock was the individual

champion, finishing in 17:21.

Lauren Paul, the Sailors’ lone senior, led Newport with a time of

18:42 to finish 26th. Junior Courtney Marshall came in 46th (19:14),

sophomore Whitney Blue followed in 55th (19:23) and freshman Lauren

Maddox was also under the 20-minute mark, in 66th (19:38).

Freshman Taylor Bryson, 103rd in 20:16, and junior Caitlin Mai,

131st in 20:45, also contributed and showed the progression the

Sailors have made toward the end of the season.

“We started out kind of broken; we didn’t know who was going to be

on varsity,” said Paul, a four-year varsity performer. “But we got a

core team together and we got closer and closer in friendship and as

teammates. I feel so bummed that I have to leave now because I feel

so grounded.”

Last week, the Sailors finished third at the CIF Southern Section

Division II finals. Paul, who had been battling foot pain, and

Marshall, who had come back from hip injuries and competed in her

fourth meet of the season Saturday, led the Sailors’ season-ending

momentum.

“From the time Lauren got hurt I never knew what was going to

happen,” Newport Coach Eric Tweit said. “For us to come back and

rebound and do this, this is just great for them.”

Tweit gave much of the credit for the Sailors’ improvement to

Paul, but also said every one of his runners had contributed and

were, “a great group of girls. This is the most fun I’ve had with

coaching in a long time,” Tweit said. “There wasn’t any of the

jealousy or any of those little things. They got along well ...

[Paul] has brought a great energy and excitement to the team.”

Tweit also said the Sailors’ youth proved beneficial in the sense

that Newport’s three freshmen, Maddox, Bryson and Dierkes, and one

sophomore, Blue, were naive and willing to take anything coming their

way with little fear.

When Paul and Marshall were out with injuries, Blue became the

leader on the course for the Sailors. The experience helped her

prepare for next year.

“I was grateful that I was able to run every race,” Blue said. “I

had to push myself harder to be better for the team, so we could be

great when [Paul and Marshall] came back.” The Newport sophomore was

motivated to perform well Saturday, despite being under stress.

Blue, who said she did not take cross country as seriously last

year as this season, joined her team late in Fresno. She was on

vacation in Cabo San Lucas and did not arrive to the Sailors’ hotel

room in Fresno until 1 a.m. Saturday. Then, eight hours later she was

running on the 5,000-meter course. She said she trailed Marshall --

“I followed in her footsteps” -- to get a better idea of how to run

the course.

Marshall will most likely be the Sailors’ top runner, and possibly

their only senior, next year.

“I think next year we will make it back to [the state meet] now

that we know we can make it,” Marshall said. “We’ll do better because

before we didn’t have as much confidence. Now we do.”