CdM leaves Sailors behind

Led by Annie St. Geme, Hilary May and two relay teams, the Corona del

Mar High girls track and field team exacted a bit of revenge on Back

Bay rival Newport Harbor in a tri-meet the Sea Kings hosted

Wednesday.

The Corona del Mar girls, who lost to Newport, 58-50, last year,

defeated the Sailors, 73-34, and Marina, which scored 51 team points.

Senior Eemaan Jalili’s sparkling performance helped lead the Sea King

boys to the victory over Newport, 50-27, but Marina won the tri-meet

with 93 points, earning 12 first-place finishes.

“When I saw what showed up [for Newport Harbor], it was a little

less than I expected,” Corona del Mar Coach Bill Sumner said.

“Newport has a pretty good program. We don’t try to make it our

biggest meet of the year, but it was important for us. I did expect

more.”

Sailors boys coach Nowell Kay, also a Newport alumnus who competed

in track, actually did not expect much from the meet that included

rival Corona del Mar.

“It didn’t really feel [like a rivalry]. It used to be a much more

heated rivalry when we were both in the same league,” Kay said. “We

have a tough league schedule and we’re looking to get ready for

that.”

Sumner said he was impressed with Jalili, who delivered huge

contributions for the Sea Kings, winning the 110-meter high hurdles

(16.6). He also finished second in the long jump (18 feet, 0 1/2

inches) and triple jump (35-9 1/2), and took third place in the 300

intermediate hurdles (46.9).

Kevin Artz (1,600), Bryce Beshore (high jump) and Andrew Wong

(pole vault) also earned victories for the Corona del Mar boys (2-2),

who were without senior standout Chris Ringstrom. He is expected to

make his debut in the Irvine invitational Saturday, when he will

compete in the 400.

Joel Walker (200 and 400) and Nick Miller (3,200) led the Sailors

with second-place finishes in their respective events. Last year, the

Corona del Mar boys defeated Newport, 64-43.

On the girls side, St. Geme doubled, winning the 1,600 (5:04.4)

and 3,200 (11:50.8), while Sara Claster (400), May (800) and Diba

Budhraja (discus) won in their respective events. May also recorded a

personal-best 5:10.7 in the 1,600, in which she finished second. The

Sea Kings (4-0) won eight events.

Newport freshman Allison Stokke, competing in her first high

school meet, won the pole vault and set a school record with a

9-foot-6 clearance, Sailors Coach Eric Tweit said. Elizabeth Clayton

won the 100 hurdles (16.8) and Jennifer Ryder won the high jump with

a personal record, 5-foot mark.