CdM battles for 7th

Steve Virgen

Bill Sumner always wants the best for and from his runners at Corona

del Mar High.

He wanted his girls team to finish among the top three at the CIF

State cross country championships Saturday at Woodward Park in

Fresno. Turns out, that was a lofty goal.

The Sea Kings, the Pacific Coast League champions, finished

seventh in Division III at the state meet, but Sumner said his team

fulfilled its potential, though the CdM girls ran a slightly better

race last week.

“I would have liked to have been in the top three,” Sumner said.

“We tried to do it but we couldn’t. But we were happy with the

result. Of course we wish we could do it over again. We can’t do

that. That’s the way they play the game. You play it. You take the

score. It’s done. And, now you have to wait until next year.”

Sophomore Annie St. Geme led the Sea Kings, finishing in 13th in

18:40, a personal-record for the course in Fresno, and freshman

Hilary May came in 26th in 19:17.

“Some people would call it a rebuilding year [for CdM],” Sumner

said. “In my mind none of these results surprise me. It was

everything we were supposed to do.”

Sumner said senior Taryn Kawata ran a great race. She finished

61st in 19:54, a personal best, while junior Ahlia Kattan (84th in

20:21), freshman Christie St. Geme (88th in 20:25) and junior Devon

Ahearn (92nd in 20:28) were also involved in the tight Division III

race. Senior Sara Claster (117th in 20:47) closed out her season for

the Sea Kings, as well.

May finished four seconds away from being 22nd and was one of four

freshmen in the top 26.

“It was pretty intense,” May said of the state meet. “It was a

step up in competition. I am just excited to be here. I was really

excited and I enjoyed it ... I think we have a great future ahead of

us.” Last week, CdM finished second in the CIF Southern Section

Division III finals. Santa Margarita won the title. The Eagles

finished sixth with 171 points, while the Sea Kings had 193.

Miramonte won the CIF State Division III title with 96 points.

“The race was so tight,” Sumner said. “Everyone came in bunches

and came in together. It was crowded.”

Annie St. Geme (pronounced gem) said the first mile was crowded

and faster than she expected. She ran for a personal-best time, but

she thought she could have ran faster.

“The first mile was stacked,” St. Geme said. “ It felt good

though. I think my mental strength wasn’t supposed to be what it

should have been. [The first mile] sort of surprised me. I think I

could have [passed] at least three girls ahead of me and finished in

the top 10. But more girls kept on coming.”